


Bloomtale: The Void

by SansUndertall



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Abuse, Birthing, Broken Bones, F/F, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Pedophilia mention, Pregnancy, Recovery, Scarring, Self Harm, Starving, Suicide mention, cloak is like really gross tbh, loss of pregnancy mention, self harm mention, sex trafficking mention
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:56:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 24
Words: 82,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27446761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SansUndertall/pseuds/SansUndertall
Summary: Sans dies and is reborn as a god in the void along with a strange group of misfits with similar stories.  There’s a lot to unpack and Sans isn’t going anywhere, so he might as well start unloading (And maybe pick up a lover and some happiness along the way.)Please look at the notes at the beginning of each chapter for chapter-specific tags!
Relationships: Cozy/Sunny, Fitti/Sneak, Glaze/Zero, Midnight/Bloom, Undyne/Alphys, sans/sans
Comments: 42
Kudos: 36





	1. Welcome to the Void

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Suicide mention, self harm, abuse mention.

Pain. Dark. Cold. Warmth. 

A very, very unfamiliar warmth.

Warmth was something Sans had rarely experienced before. Warmth was something he only knew to exist in places of safety. Something that existed in the company of friends, friends who could afford the luxuries of a house without drafts and, even better, a house that had something more efficient in heating than a 50-year-old heating system that was threatening to break down at any moment. Warmth was a luxury he never had ever since birth, and suddenly it was surrounding him.

The only familiar thing he felt was the soft bed of echo flowers and grass he was laying on. The calming echoes of chattering voices, dripping water, and humming music floated through and filled him with a sense of calm that he hadn’t felt in a long time. That calm was always short lived, though. Even now.

He jolted upright and scrambled to get up, balancing himself in a bizarre dog-like fashion on his hands and feet.

_Boss is gonna kill me if I don’t-_

A bright, blinding light filled his vision as he opened his eyes and he squinted, gritting his teeth and bracing himself for the pain he knew was coming. Only, it never came. 

Sans rubbed his eyes shakily before opening his eyes again and taking in his surroundings as he adjusted to the light. Or rather, the strange lack of the surroundings he expected. A part of Waterfall was there, sure. But only pieces of the cave he was laying in. It was as if the universe itself had ended and all that was left was him and this small chunk of Waterfall. The walls of the cave opened into an oppressively bright white expanse. There was no visible difference between ground and sky as if he was floating in a thick luminescent fog. The only hints that there might be solid ground were the speckling of echo flowers, mushrooms, and rocks scattered away from the visible cave floor.

_....Where am I? What happened?....... I don’t... Come on! Think, damnit! I don’t even remember going to Waterfall. I was supposed to.... to.... Oh. Oh no. I couldn’t have been that stupid, right? Right?....._

“HELLO? BOSS? UNDYNE? ANYONE?” Sans shouted desperately. There was no reply, only the quiet chattering as the echo flowers repeated his cries.

_Why did I do that? Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!!!_

Sans shoved his hand under the sleeve of his hoodie, clawing at the marred bone of his forearm. Years of scarring. Years of impulsively punishing himself carved into deep grooves in the bone of his arm. It was a thoughtless action. He never actually thought to hurt himself. He never actually wanted to. He withdrew his hand as the familiar sting brought him back to this new reality.

He had killed himself. It was such a stupid idea! Sure, Boss only ever treated him halfway decently if Sans obeyed him to the fullest degree, and Boss did tell him to... To do it.... but.... It was such a bad idea! He just.... He just thought......

_I’m dead. I just wanted.... I just wanted him to love me. I just wanted to be brothers again. But there’s nothing left of me to love now. I’m just... Dust..._

He sobbed, but no noise escaped his throat. He sat on the ground, drawing his knees up to his chest as he cried silently. He wasn’t supposed to make noise, but, did it really matter now? Did _any_ of the things Boss had forced him to do matter now?

**Forced?**

He’d never thought of it that way but..... Now that he actually had time to think.... 

He looked down at his legs, suddenly realizing the freedom he now had. And, as an added benefit, the lack of holes in his clothes. He’d been wearing the same unwashed clothes for years, but now? His worn sneakers, full of holes, had now been replaced with a sturdy pair of purplish-black boots lined with plush white fur. His hoodie, which had been threatening to fall off due to the damage it had taken, was now replaced with a long and luxurious green coat lined with pillowy soft, warm white fur. Underneath was a matching pair of purplish-black pants that dropped just below his knees along with a matching high-collared shirt and a pair of gloves. All garnished with gold thread and a gold zipper. 

Sans tentatively reached for his own neck, hesitating slightly before brushing his fingertips feather-light across the collar of the shirt. That.... wasn’t leather. That wasn’t metal. He slowly moved his hand closer to his spine, gripping around his neck. The shock collar was gone. He was free. Free to go where he wanted, free to speak whenever and to whoever he pleased, free to sleep when and where he wanted, free to.... Do what any normal person could do. He was free from the pain.

His sadness was replaced with confusion. 

_Forced? And.... Well, I wasn’t free before either... That.... I..... When did I get the idea in my head that was he was doing was... I don’t..... I don’t even remember doing anything wrong. Did I? Did I ever do anything wrong?_

He sniffled, fiddling with the hem of his coat for a few moments before shaking his head.

_Now isn’t the time to think, I’ll think about this later when I.... Well.... When I figure out what to do. Where the hell even am I?_

Sans got up again. He stood for a moment, considering his four-legged stance. Boss had forced him to walk like a dog for so long. It was an act of humiliation. This had never been practical for completing any task Boss had given him and it certainly wasn’t practical now. But, did he even remember how to walk on two legs?

He crawled over to the fragment of the cave wall and used his hands to slowly pull himself up. It hurt. Oh stars, that really hurt. He steeled himself, taking deep breaths and side stepping along the cave wall a few times to get a feel for what he was doing. He’d been walking like a dog for years. It had hurt when he first started doing so. His body wasn’t used to walking like that. It wasn’t made for walking like that. He was going to have to build his strength back up again to be able to walk normally and comfortably again.

He took a few more deep breaths.

_I’m never going to walk again if I don’t work at it. And there’s no better way to work at it than to do it. And there’s no better time to start than now. Doesn’t seem like I’ll have anything better to do in this place...._

He let go of the wall and stumbled back a few steps before regaining his balance. Fresh tears began streaming from his eyes again. Every bone in his body felt like it was now filled with shards of broken glass as he strained to hold himself upright. He closed his eyes.

_Deep. Breaths. In, hold, out, hold, in...... 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2..... It’s just pain.... I’ve had worse... I can do this... I have to.... Fuck...._

He stumbled forward with an awkward gait as he fought to retain balance. Food... He needed food and water. Shit. Sure, the mushrooms and water from Waterfall were safe, but there was such a limited supply of them now. Sans sighed and hobbled over to a comically large mushroom next to a puddle of water. He carefully crouched before sitting on the ground and plucking up the mushroom. He took a bite. It was strangely sweet and a luminescent blue fluid dripped over his teeth and gloves as he bit into it. He lapped up the fluid eagerly as a sudden pang of hunger ripped through him at the taste. He had been hungry for so long that he forgot what the sensation was. He had grown used to it. But now, with the promise of food, the sensation was overwhelming his senses. 

Sans made quick work of the stem of the mushroom, hollowing out the cap slightly before using the makeshift bowl to scoop up water from the puddle and drink. He gulped down mouthful after mouthful until the puddle was dry before eating the cap of the mushroom. He hadn’t been full in a long time and he savored the feeling. He rested for a few minutes as he considered his plan of action.

He couldn’t stay in this place forever. The supply of food and water was far too limited. There might be a way out that he couldn’t see, but he would never know without looking for it. He fumbled around in his pockets, looking for anything of use and pulling out items to lay on the ground in front of him as he found them.

A large flask, a cloth pouch full of green pills, a phone, and a note were all he had to his name. The flask was full of the same glowing water that filled Waterfall’s rivers. The pills in the pouch were unfamiliar, but the scent of them sent Sans into a content, pleasant, and nearly dreamy state. He quickly closed the pouch to contain the scent. Now was not a good time to get high on... Whatever those were. The phone was locked and seemingly brand-new. He opened the note.

_”Hello and welcome,_

_Do not be alarmed, you are safe here. When you are ready to go to your new home, just walk into the void. One of the others will find you on your walk and lead you home. They may be scared of you at first, sometimes newcomers aren’t so kind, but we believe you will get along just fine. When you get home, ask for Sunny and he will be able to help you with your pain and whatever medical assistance you may need._

_If you are wondering where you are, this is a place similar to the void. Only, outsiders like your father are not able to get inside without inside help. We keep this place protected so that people like yourself can feel safe again. Everyone here has died. We brought their souls here to rest. This is not heaven nor is it hell or purgatory. This is a second chance. We have chosen you to become a god as the life you have lived has molded you to be perfect to serve a great purpose. It is up to you to discover what that purpose is._

_Here, you will not know want or need. Your supply of food and water is endless. You will always be given what you want or need, no matter how unimportant it may seem. You, your room, your belongings, and your actions are your own. No one here has the power or right to control you._

_On a final note, what your brother did to you was wrong, very wrong. You may not be perfect, but you never deserved what he did to you. We sincerely hope that after living so long for him, that you might learn to live for yourself. You deserve happiness and all that comes with it._

_Take care,  
-The Void.”_

Sans folded up the note and stuffed it back in his pocket. A god? Maybe he’d gotten more of a high from the smell of those pills than he thought. This whole thing definitely felt like some bad drug trip for sure. The phone on the ground buzzed for a moment and he picked it up. A note at the top of the screen now read that it could be unlocked using any code he decided to enter now. Neat. 0-1-3-1-0-0. Using his birth date would be easy enough, he was never that great at remembering passwords anyway. 

The phone unlocked and he swiped through. There was a list of contacts. Most of the people he didn’t know, some of them were close friends. Or at least, friends he was close with when he used to be able to talk to people. Maybe.... They’d want to hear from him again soon. He missed them so much. 

Sans got up and winced again as he stood to his full height. More deep breaths. The note said someone named Sunny could help with his pain. If he could just walk out far enough, he could get help. He closed his eyes and sighed before looking out into the broad white expanse. He walked to the edge of the remaining cave floor before stepping out into the void itself. 


	2. A New Home in a Strange Place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Self harm mention, wound care, needles, death mention.

As Sans has theorized, the void did have a floor. The ground resounded with a heavy thud as he stepped into the void, the sound seeming to ripple outwards from the contact, becoming distorted the further it traveled. 

He continued, staggering with the difficulty of walking. There was no sense of direction in this place. The only true landmarks Sans had as he traveled were the trails of echo flowers and glowing mushrooms that bloomed where he had once stepped, but even they faded into the blank white expanse the farther he went.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been going before he stumbled to a stop. Hardly any time had passed, but it felt like he'd been walking forever before spotting a tiny spec in the distance. He squinted at it and took a few unsure steps towards it. The spec was moving. That must be the person that is supposed to lead him "home."

Sans began moving towards them, tripping over himself a few times as he grew more tired of walking upright. That was definitely a person, he could vaguely see their outline from this distance. Sans swallowed and tried to work up the nerve to call out to them, but his voice caught in his throat.

Earlier, when he had shouted, he wasn't fully awake and aware. Now that he was with his senses, Sans couldn't help but fall back into the mindset that his brother, his "Boss", had pounded into his soul. He nearly collapsed just from the fear of someone seeing him walking and his brother finding out. He'd be punished for sure. 

Sans' steps became less and less confident the closer he got to the figure before he simply froze with fear. His hand slipped up his wrist again in an attempt to continue clawing his arm before the soft material of the fur inside his coat reminded him to stop. Reminded him of.....

Undyne. She had held him as he died. She had been too late to save him, but not too late to make him promise one thing.

_"I know you hate promises, but promise me one thing, wherever you end up after this, never let anyone hurt you like he hurt you ever again. Please! Promise me!"_

_"I promise....."_

_"We love you-"_

Sans shook as fresh tears streamed down his face. He hugged himself, gripping the plush sleeves of his coat and stroking his thumbs across the plush fabric in an attempt to soothe himself. He blinked through his tears and began walking once more. He may be scared, but he made a promise. No one would ever hurt him like that again, not even himself. He needed help or he might stay in pain like this forever. Or, as long as gods live anyway.

Within a couple of minutes, he was able to see the other person fairly clearly from a distance. They had stopped and were holding their hands up in the air in a surrender position. The note earlier had said the others were wary of newcomers. Maybe returning the appearance of surrender would signal he was friendly?

Sans held his hands up and approached slowly as the other person mirrored his actions. Although, they stopped again a few yards away from him.

"Hi, I'm Sunny! Are you... Okay?" the taller skeleton said with concern. He had to be over 7 feet tall, maybe even bordering 8 feet. He seemed fairly young and bright and had a very strong optimistic presence as if the space around him was teeming with his energies. His right eye was missing, the space left occupied by an echo flower that was echoing his concerned voice and foreign accent. He wore a short yellow and blue tunic along with burnt orange pants and cloth shoes. Parts of him were bandaged or tied with decorative, star-printed ribbons. 

Sans' mouth opened and closed a few times as he struggled to speak. What was anyone supposed to even say in this situation? 

"N...No...."

Oh yeah, real smooth dumbass. 

Luckily, Sunny seemed to already know that Sans didn't particularly have a way with words, and for good reason.

"I saw you having a hard time on the way here, and I heard you might be hurt. Do you need some help getting home?"

Sans squirmed internally at the idea of help. He had never liked asking for help and for a while, he wasn't able to. Was it really okay to accept help now? He thought about it for a few seconds before answering. 

"Yes, please, if you don't mind," he said timidly. 

There wasn't anything he could call a home within viewing distance. So, judging by how hard it was to get this far, there was no way he'd be able to walk far enough on his own to get there.

Sunny grinned happily at his response and scooped Sans up into his arms. Sans locked up in Sunny's arms as he walked, startled by the gesture. He had assumed Sunny would just let Sans lean on him for support and balance, he never expected to be scooped up like a child. 

And wow, Sans really did feel child-sized compared to this guy.

Sunny must have sensed Sans' discomfort. Or at least, noticed how intently he was peering down at the ground as if he was preparing to be dropped like a sack of sad potatoes.

"I was given some medical records for you from the Void but... I do have questions. You don't have to answer if you aren't comfortable saying anything."

"Okay...." Sans mumbled quietly.

"Have you taken any of the pills that were in your pouch?"

"No, I didn't know what they were."

"They're catnip tablets. They won't hurt you, but they do have a very strong anti-anxiety effect and can help with your sleep if you need them. Don't be afraid to take them if you feel you need them. Just start with one if you do, we don't know how strong their effect will be on you. You should chew it to help it work faster."

"Okay, thank you."

"Do you have any fresh wounds?"

"I....." Sans considered the question for a moment before pulling up his sleeve to reveal the fresh scratch marks from earlier. "I think.... just these."

"Can you tell me anything about where you came from or how you died?"

Sans tensed up again at the question, looking nervously between the ground and Sunny's face a few times. 

"Woah, it's okay! You don't have to answer if you don't want to, remember? We're almost at the house. Everyone is probably waiting to meet you, but you don't have to stay downstairs if you aren't feeling up to it. Your room is at the top of the stairs on the left, you can go in there if you'd rather rest. I need to clean those scratches and give you a pain treatment either way." 

Sans nodded and smiled weakly before eyeing the house as it came into view. It looked like almost any typical suburban house, albeit extremely large and lacking any kind of yard. He could see a group of skeletons peeking from the inside windows at him with curiosity. One of them even had their face pressed up against the glass with a ditzy expression on their face.

"They're..... Not normal to say the least. But, I think you'll get along!" Sunny said. Although, he didn't sound very certain. 

Muffled voices bickered behind the door before another tall skeleton opened the door. He was so different from Sunny, yet seemed nearly identical at the same time. He was the same height, same build, and wore the same face. But, he looked so much more worn and tired. His bones were black and seeping with a thick, goopy fluid that glistened with dull colors like motor oil left to pool on a rain-soaked parking lot. The fluid ebbed and flowed instead of dripping to the floor. Like Sunny, one of his eyes was gone, covered by some of the strange goop and blooming with a cluster of echo flowers. Large leaves peeked from behind his back along with several lazily squirming tentacles. He wore a black woven hoodie, shorts, cloth shoes, and a knitted turtleneck sweater. The ooze dripping over him had seeped into his clothes and given them the same iridescent appearance. His expression was completely blank and Bloom took an odd comfort in the indifference he showed.

"Hello." The skeleton said before stepping away to clear Sunny's path. He spoke in the same foreign accent as Sunny but with a deeper voice that came from all directions in a somber chorus. He left without and another word and sat in a chair in the nearby room. He eyed Sans warily before opening a book and reading quietly.

"That was Midnight, we're twin brothers. He.... Doesn't talk much." Sunny smiled awkwardly as he eyed his brother before continuing. "Would you like to sit on the couch so you can meet the others while I get the supplies to clean your arm? They seem-" Sunny looked to the side and saw the group of other skeletons staring at Sans, "excited to meet you...." he finished.

Sans swallowed nervously and nodded in agreement and giving them his best smile. It was weak, but it was the best he could give in his nervous state. 

Sunny gently placed Sans on the couch with care. "If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask. We all know how much pain you're in and we're here to help. Just.... Don't trust Cloak to help you. He's the only one still upstairs." 

Sans nodded, "Okay, thank you."

Sans looked up and watched as a few of the skeletons playfully elbowed each other. From what he could hear, they were trying to decide who got to say hello first.

"Me! Come on!"

"You were first the last time!"

"Last time was centuries ago!"

"And?"

"Okay so rock, paper, scissors?"

"SNRRRRK, fine"

They continued talking amongst themselves as they played rock, paper, scissors until a winner bounced up and down excitedly and grinned, the tie of his bandana bouncing like a pair of bunny ears. The adorable action made Sans smile thoughtfully. Genuine happiness like that was something he hadn't gotten to see in such a long time. The purity of it warmed his aching soul.

"Hi! I'm Glaze! Is your name really Sans too? All of us showed up with almost the same exact name in the beginning!" He chirped cheerily in a voice similar to someone with a stuffy nose. His face had a faint pastel rainbow blush that glittered with tiny freckles and was spattered with pale blue paint. He wore a pale rainbow, short-sleeved, tailed coat tied around his waist with a pale teal belt adorned with a large echo flower. He wore teal gloves, boots, and a bandana. His radiated positivity, glee, and determination.

"Yeah, I'm uh... Sans. Nice to meet you." Sans replied meekly. 

Another skeleton practically bounced into view with a wide toothy grin and leaned against Glaze's waist. "I'm Graffiti, but you can just call me Fitti! It's nice to meet you too!" She said in a borderline high-pitched voice. Her teeth were sharp and sparkled with braces and rainbow-colored bands. She wore a beanie, a scarf, a cropped jacket, a shirt, long leggings, and a pair of sneakers. All of which were a deep purple-black color decorated with eye-straining bright neon colors and trimmed with echo flower prints. 

Glaze gently nudged her off of his waist. "Can't have Sneak seeing that or it will injure his _poor, fragile masculinity._ " Glaze mocked jokingly.

Fitti rolled her eyes. "I still can't believe he got so territorial over me _hugging_ my friend."

"Oh, I can believe it." Glaze giggled. 

Another skeleton came into view, side-eyeing Glaze and Fitti with an amused and fatherly smile before turning to Sans. "Hi, I'm Cozy. Can I get you anything to drink or some snacks?" He asked in a soft and smooth voice that floated gently into Sans' senses like a soothing lullaby. Cozy's frame was tall yet so slight and delicate in a way that Sans feared he might hurt him if he were to so much as grab him too firmly. His face had a soft golden glow like honey and was framed by a pair of reading glasses and an echo flower crown. His coat was a soft yellow color and so fluffy that it reminded Sans of a fluffy bunny plushie he had cherished in his younger years. Underneath were a bright blue shirt and a pair of burnt-orange high-waisted shorts along with a pair of deep blue leggings. Sans noted with curiosity that Cozy also wore a pair of burnt-orange pointe ballet shoes. Maybe they were just really comfortable?

Sans fumbled with his words internally before he spoke. "Can I have a glass of water, please?" He asked shyly. Asking for things still felt so difficult. Sans waited for his reply anxiously, almost wincing when Cozy began to reply. 

"Of course, I'll be back in just a minute." He replied with a tender smile.

Sans breathed a quiet breath of relief before looking around the room. Glaze had stepped away and was desperately trying to convince another person to say hello. Whoever it was, they were sitting in a chair facing away from Sans and were very adamant about staying put. Fitti wandered into an adjacent room and could faintly be heard talking to someone else.

Cozy returned a few moments later with a glass of water and offered it to Sans, who reached out shakily and began to sip. "Is it okay if I sit with you?" Cozy asked. Sans smiled and nodded. Cozy sat down with him on the couch. He seemed to consciously be sure to give Sans his personal space, and he appreciated it. 

Sunny returned with a small tray of medical supplies as Cozy began to speak. "We should give you a nickname like the rest of us. We all go by nicknames so that we don't get confused when someone calls out 'Sans' since we were all brought here with that name." Cozy said.

"Yeah, that was so confusing when everyone first showed up. Especially with Sneak since he couldn't decide on a nickname for the longest time!" Sunny replied. Cozy and Sunny laughed in a way parents might laugh when recalling a distant memory of their child. Sans smiled at them.

Sunny gently tapped on his sleeve as he picked up a piece of soaked gauze. "Can I see that arm again?" He asked. Sans pulled up his sleeve and laid his arm out, displaying the scratches. He watched as Sunny cleaned away the stains of dried blood and disinfected the wounds. He had never realized how much he had hurt himself until now. He'd never had time to inspect his wounds since he began punishing himself. The scars were deep, terribly deep.

Sans watched as Sunny finished cleaning the scratches before filling the carved grooves with a strange glowing paste and wrapping his arm in bandages. "Your arm should be healed up by tomorrow morning, just keep the bandages on until after you wake up. As for your pain, are you scared of needles?"Sunny asked.

"No." Sans replied softly.

"Alright, good, I'm just going to give you a shot. Can I see your soul?" Sunny asked delicately.

Sans hesitated for a moment before manifesting his soul from his rib cage. He tensed with fear as Sunny gently grasped and inspected his injured soul. The once strongly glowing red heart had dulled over time and was riddled with discolored cracks. Sunny handled Sans's soul carefully, avoiding touching the fractures in Sans's very being as he inspected it. After a few moments, Sunny picked up the syringe in his other hands and carefully injected a glowing green fluid. The green color spilled into Sans's red magic and swirled inside like ink inside a glass of water before binding with his magic. His soul pulsed with light for a moment before returning to a dulled state. It was a slight change, but Sans could swear his soul appeared brighter now than before. 

"We'll have to give you injections daily for about a week, but we can start doing it once a week after that. They should help with your pain as well as make it easier for you to walk." Sunny smiled softly before releasing Sans's soul and allowing it to float safely back into his ribcage. "Are you alright?" Sunny asked. Sans smiled gently and nodded. 

Cozy soothingly rubbed Sans's shoulder for a moment. The kind gesture reminded Sans he was safe, this place was safe, they were safe. The tension left his body again and relaxed back into the couch once more before taking another sip of water.

"You uhm.... Said I should have a nickname?" Sans said, trying to draw Cozy's attention away from his scarred arm as he pulled his sleeve back down. Cozy must have been staring the whole time and Sans felt his skull burn with embarrassment. He wasn't proud of his scars. He wasn't proud of what he had done to himself. He wasn't proud of... Anything he'd ever done.

He stared at Cozy's thoughtful expression with anxiety before sighing with relief when Cozy looked away and smiled again. His smile wasn't as warm as before, but Sans didn't expect it to be. He knew his appearance was concerning. He wished he could take all those scars back, but-

"I think Bloom would be fitting," said Nighty. Sans hadn't realized he'd been listening. He hadn't even been watching. Or, at least, not in a way where Sans would notice. But now, Nighty was watching, or at least looking. Sans followed his line of sight to his feet, where the trail of flowers had pooled into a small patch underneath his feet. A young bud opened and bloomed as he watched. The petals unfurled and the newly bloomed flower joined the chorus of chattering created by the other flowers. Bloom. That did seem like a nice name.

Bloom gave the flowers a warm smile. "That does sound like a nice name."


	3. Hello from the Other Side

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scarring, abuse mention, death mention
> 
> This chapter is mostly for setting.

Bloom soon excused himself to his room. Everyone he'd met so far was nice, but the energy and chattering in the living room had been overwhelming, Reaching his new room had been a relief after struggling his way up the stairs and away from all the noise. He fumbled in the dark for a few moments as he felt around the walls for a light switch and flicked the lights on. The light switch had a dimmer, neat. He adjusted the lights to a fainter setting and sighed with relief. He was afraid of the dark, sure, but he'd never admit that to anyone. However, the unforgiving brightness just reminded him of... He'd rather not think of _him_ right now. Not of him, not of that place, and not of the things that came with it. 

Bloom looked around the room and was astonished, to say the least. The note from the Void did say he'd never want or need for anything but... He'd never even thought of owning half of the things that were in this room, let alone living in a place that looked this nice. He'd never been able to afford much and anything he could afford was given to Boss. He'd slept on a bare mattress laying in an empty bedroom for years. Hell, he'd even slept on the bare ground for a while.

But there wasn't an inch of this room that wasn't filled with something of use or comfort. Everything was either a deep blue or a complimenting hue and furnished luxuriously with plush materials, soft blankets, pillows, and plushies. Several areas also had the comfort of curtains, tents, or canopies, perfect for hiding away during a peaceful nap. 

A couch to the left of the room was accompanied by a television set. Sans inspected it with curiosity and found that the TV was paired with a video game console and a shelf of games. He'd never had time for those before and had always envied his brother's console. He gently grazed his fingers over the binds of the disk cases, skimming through the titles and softly smiling. 

He stepped back and continued exploring his room. Bookshelves were packed with all of his favorite subjects along with several empty sketchbooks and note pads. A desk was accompanied by a nice computer, keyboard, microphone, mouse, and webcam. A mini-fridge was full of snacks and drinks. And more interestingly, a handle on the floor pulled up to reveal his new bed in a hidden compartment. He noted the space inside was ventilated and large enough for him to comfortably close the hatch above him to sleep in a place of secrecy and safety.

Bloom grinned happily and took off his coat as he walked to a nearby room adjoined to his bedroom. It was a closet with more clothes than he'd ever need along with a couple of laundry hampers, a washer, and a dryer. Thinking of the bloodstains on his clothes from earlier, he tossed his gloves and coat into the washer and jumped slightly as it started on its own.

_Automatic.... Neat... One less thing I have to worry about_

He opened a few drawers and found a set of pajamas, another thing he had never been able to afford before. He absent-mindedly flapped his hands a few times in a show of contentment before stopping himself. 

_Don't you remember what happened the last time you stimmed like that?_

He frowned and sighed. He never understood why it was so frowned upon to just show that you were happy about something. Or, maybe it wasn't about being happy. A lot of people thought less of him just because of him being autistic, but he never particularly understood why it was considered so insulting by so many. After all, he'd always used his autism to his advantage. Then again, people back there were always looking for a reason to belittle you. Those reasons didn't always make sense.

Bloom walked into the bathroom, also conveniently adjoined to his bedroom, to change and was met with a room no less equipped than the last. The shower and bathtub were separate, yet both were big enough to hold multiple people. The sink was a double vanity and he felt relieved as he realized the bathroom had been adjusted to suit his height. Standing on a box just to wash his hands or brush his teeth had always felt humiliating in the past. 

Bloom undressed and unceremoniously tossed his clothes into the hamper. He looked in the mirror and froze. He hadn't gotten a proper look at himself in years, and boy, was he a sight to behold. Nearly every bone in his weakened frame was marred with scars. One of his teeth, which had been previously ripped out, had been replaced with an ill-fitting gold tooth. A deep crack trailed up from the tooth into a gaping hole in the top of his skull. His other eye light was blind and useless, the socket around it split perfectly in the center from the sharp cut of a large blade. His face dropped with regret and sadness. He would have to live with these scars, live with these memories, and live with what Boss had done to him for the rest of his life.

He shook his head and cleared his thoughts. He didn't want to think about that right now. He looked back in the mirror to note the positives. All of his wounds from before his death had healed over. His wings were the most noticeably changed. The iridescent feathers were no longer falling out, dull, or missing. The paw pads on his hands and feet were no longer frostbitten, cracked, calloused, or painful. His tail was no longer hairless and was now full and fluffy with soft, fine fur. A golden halo adorned with two hearts and swirls of detail floated above his skull. Over time, some of the scars would fade and he would feel more like himself again. These were all very good things. 

Bloom pulled on his pajamas and relished in the feeling of the lusciously soft material. He could get used to this. He could be happy. He could- A loud ding rang out from behind him and interrupted his thoughts. That sounded like... He followed the noise to his bedroom.

The computer on his desk was now brightly displaying a familiar website. He had a Chirp account for a while but hadn't used it since... Let's not think about Boss right now. He sat at the desk and squinted at the screen before putting on a pair of glasses that had been sitting on the desk. He blinked a few times as he adjusted to his cleared vision.

_Wow... I never realized how bad I needed these._

He returned his gaze to the screen and nestled a pair of headphones over his skull. The screen was opened to his old Chirp account, which was currently being inundated with message after message. He opened the notification page and was met with comments ranging from mournful to celebratory. He had only just died yesterday but there were already hundreds of messages, comments, and reblogs as people passed either their opinion or their sorrows on the death of the royal guard leader's brother.

_"Sans never deserved the shit he got from Papyrus. He was the hardest worker I have ever met and gave all he had to that little shit. I'm not religious, but I hope that short stack is somewhere happier now where he can tell his stupid puns and laugh for all of eternity. Raising a glass for you, Sans. As for Papyrus, see you in hell, fucker."_

_"LMAO he killed himself, weak af. Can't believe that snowflake was a 'highly esteemed judge worker'. If that guy was my executioner I'd fucking laugh in his face. What's he gonna do to me? Cry on my shoulder? Glad he's dead. Now Papyrus hasn't got a shitty brother slowing him down."_

_"I miss him so much. I tried to fight Papyrus to get Sans out of there but... Well, we see where that got me. At least the pain is over now."_

_"I'll miss you, little guy. I may have acted annoyed, but I really did love your stupid jokes."_

Bloom continued skimming through the messages. Sure, there were plenty of people that were laughing at him. But... There were also so many that missed him and wished him the best. Even people that he hadn't seen since he was a teen were coming out of the woodwork to share memories and say their goodbyes. 

There was so much he wanted to say and so much that he had never had the time to say before. But, what could he say? He had died, for fucks' sake! But he could reply, he could let them know he wasn't completely gone, let them know he appreciated them. His cursor hovered over the text box at the top of the screen.

_No, starting like that would be stupid. Everyone would probably just think my account was hacked as a joke. But... What about... What if..._

His cursor moved to the bottom of the screen and opened a different window. Chaos Chats were still running even after all these years. Grillby, Undyne, Toriel, and Alphys were all active in the old group chat. Bloom opened it and skimmed through the messages. Looks like they missed him just as much as he missed them... And were very confused as to why his chat icon now showed he was online. Oops. He hadn't thought about that part. No better time to say hello than now.

_Undyne: Sans is online? Somebody's fucking hacked his account for a joke._

_Alphys: I'm so tracking the IP._

_Grillby: They're typing..._

_Sans: Wait, no, video call?_

_Alphys: Oh sure asshole, make it easier on me._

_(Video call has started)_

_(Loading)_

The video call opened and a wall of webcams was displayed. Everyone's eyes instantly turned to Bloom who was front and center at the top of their screen. Bloom gulped. His mouth suddenly felt very dry. He had wanted to talk to them again for so long, but now all his words were caught in his throat. Everyone simply stared at him in shocked silence. That is, all except Alphys, who was typing up a storm on her side of the screen. Her brow was furrowed and a wall of coding commands reflected off of her glasses.

"This can't be right... This can't be right!" Alphys mumbled furiously as the thundering of her mechanical keyboard grew louder.

"I-" Bloom began to speak but was instantly cut off by Undyne slamming her fists on her desk in fury.

"Shut the fuck up, I watched him die, I fucking held him! You're not him!" She cried. "What kind of sick, twisted joke is this?"

"Calm down, the signal is coming from the core, someone must be running a wifi hotspot there. But, I have another idea for figuring out just who this is," she said as she continued pounding on her keyboard. Bloom almost felt sorry for the poor contraption. 

Grillby poured himself a glass of whiskey and sighed, rubbing his face. "Can't anybody give Sans some respect? He fucking died! My friend is dead. Who even had the nerve to dig up his Chaos account after all these years?"

Bloom opened his mouth to try to speak again but was quickly silenced by Undyne, "Just shut up, I-"

"Wait. Wait, no. Guys! Shut up for a sec. Let him talk. I- This can't be true, but... Sans?"

"Hi... I'm sorry to just... Drop-in like this. I didn't mean to stir anyone up I just... Missed you."

Alphys' face turned to that of disbelief. "Guys, I... That's not a deep-fake. He's not using a face modifier or a voice modulator. It's like... It's him..."

Toriel finally broke her silence with a trembling voice, "My child, if that's you then... What's buried under the third rose bush in the back garden?"

Bloom winced at the painful memory. "Rosie... You helped me because... I didn't have any other way to..."

Fresh tears streamed down Toriel's tired, aging face. "Only Sans would know that." She said mournfully.

Undyne scoffed, "No, there's no fucking way, I told you, I watched him die! If he's so real, then tell me what the stupid name was you had set my contact as!"

"Fish Mum. You were always there for me and you always helped take care of me and Boss, so... It just seemed fitting."

Undyne's face softened and dropped into despair. "Oh, oh god, Sans? But... It can't be..."

Grillby's flames crackled with fury as he squinted in disbelief at his screen. "Sans, if that's really you then what was that plate of food I snuck you when Papyrus lost his shit?"

"Soul reaper hot wings with loaded fries and a whole liter of original flavor marble soda. All my favorites..." Bloom replied, He swallowed dryly again and leaned slightly in his chair, popping open the mini-fridge and picking up a bottle of the same soda before popping the door shut and holding up the bottle. He opened the cap with a loud pop and took a sip.

Grillby's flames stuttered and dimmed as his face became saddened. "It's you. You... Where are you? How are you talking to us?"

"I was told that I'm in the Void. I know Gaster was trying to use the core to get out here somehow so I guess that's how the signal is coming through there." Bloom theorized. "I just woke up here today. There are others like me here too. We were chosen for something apparently. I had some weird note about it in my pocket when I woke up."

"But nothing can exist in the Void, that's why Gaster's experiments were unsuccessful!" Alphys rebuked with tears in her eyes. 

"Nothing but us, according to that note. It said no one can get in without inside help. So, I'm guessing whoever runs this place decides who goes in and who goes out." Bloom explained.

"But chosen? Chosen for what?" Undyne asked incredulously. 

Bloom unfolded the note on his desk and began reading it to them. ''...We have chosen you to become a god as the life you have lived has molded you to be perfect to serve a great purpose. It is up to you to discover what that purpose is..." Bloom trailed off.

There were a few moments of silence as everyone pondered over the note before the sound of Bloom's new housemates loudly laughing and chatting carried through the walls, interrupting their train of thought.

"Who is there with you?" Toriel asked with concern.

"I haven't met all of them yet. There's uhm, Sunny, Nighty, Fitti, Glaze, and Cozy. They're all very nice. I haven't met the other three but they're Sneak, Cloak, and someone else that I don't know the name of." Bloom listed as he counted the names on his fingers. 

"Sunny and Nighty... Did you happen to hear if they are twins?" Toriel asked as if recalling a distant memory. Her expression suddenly seemed distant.

"Sunny did say they were twin brothers, why?" Bloom pried. 

"Sunshine and Midnight, the gods of healing and nightmares. And Cloak... The god of death." Toriel said with a strangely mystified expression. 

"What are you on about?" Grillby asked.

"We found an ancient book in the archives of the castle on the surface. Asgore and I had lived in that castle for centuries and never knew of it. It must have been his father's or... Something. I read it out of curiosity. It spoke of 'The Being of the Void' and all their 'children'. The Being of the Void supposedly created monster kind and fled to the Void when they realized they couldn't keep the peace between their creations. Later, people who had lived tortured lives or died horrible deaths were reborn as gods by the Being of the Void. The Void promised them a second chance to be happy and gave them a purpose to help the people of Earth. But, that book was lost a long time ago when monsters were driven underground." Toriel explained.

"Weird..." Undyne said.

Grillby frowned for a moment before attempting to lighten the mood, "Alright, just don't start expecting me to bow down to you or some shit" he said jokingly before taking a sip of whiskey. He sniffled slightly before continuing. "But don't pull that dying shit on us again. Or I'll find a way to kick you in the ass in the way you'll feel it in your grave."

"I second that," Undyne said. 

"Reanimating the dead for an ass-kicking? Might be right up my alley!" Alphys joked. 

Everyone chuckled solemnly. It would be just like Alphys to nerd out and find a way to bring the dead back to life. 

Suddenly, an alarm sounded behind Alphys in her lab and scientists began rushing back and forth in chaos. "DAMNIT JERRY, YOU HAD ONE JOB!" Was all that was heard before Alphys abruptly left the call. 

Undyne chuckled awkwardly before peering behind her. "Timer is about to go off on the stove. Gotta go pull dinner out of the oven. I love you guys, take care." She said with a tired smile.

"Love you too, Fish Mum." Bloom grinned.

Undyne beamed contently before leaving the call.

Someone called out "DINNER IS READY, COME AND GET IT!" From the kitchen in the Void soon after Bloom smiled softly, "I guess that means it's time for me to go too. I'll talk to you guys again soon?"

"You better," Grillby said. 

"Oh, of course I will Grillbz. You know I would have talked sooner if I could." Bloom said reassuringly. 

"I know," Grillby replied gravely.

"I love ya'll..." Bloom said, trailing off.

"We love you too, Sans." Toriel and Grillby replied.

"Bye."  
"Goodnight."  
"Bye-bye."

The call ended.

Bloom felt tears of joy and relief well up in his eyes and he quickly wiped them away and calmed himself. He had missed them so much. He felt warmth blossom in his soul and soon realized it was glowing brightly inside his pajama shirt. He manifested it and inspected the brightly glowing heart, watching with awe as a deep crack closed up before his eyes. His soul pulsed with newfound energy as the crack disappeared and the light subsided to a normal level. This time, he was certain it glowed brighter and smiled thoughtfully before allowing it to return to his ribcage.

He was healing. He was getting better. 

Bloom stood carefully, wincing slightly at the pain of standing upright once more. He considered the offending sensation for a moment before brushing it off. Soon, this pain would leave too, just like the crack in his soul. He just had to take this one step at a time. 

He strode over to the door with more energy than he'd had in years before sighing and gripping the doorknob. He didn't know what food was waiting for him downstairs, but it sure smelled amazing.


	4. Some Soundproofing would be Nice (Or Maybe not)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rape mention, Cloak is gross, sex, masturbation, voyeurism. 
> 
> This was incredibly self-indulgent and I have no regrets.

The dining room was alive with chatter and the clanking of dishes. There had only been one seat available and he was pleased to find himself sitting right next to Nighty, who barely acknowledged his presence Bloom beamed at him and Nighty replied simply with a sideways glance before taking a bite of food and chewing quietly. Bloom didn't know why, but Nighty's constant neutral, indifferent appearance gave him a sense of safety. He had always found facial expressions so unreadable and confusing. Sure, he understood what a smile typically meant. But, the combination of a monster's expressive features and body language was beyond his understanding. He couldn't count how many times he had misread a person's emotions and accidentally caused himself trouble. He'd driven himself to madness trying to read into all the nuances of behavior but to no avail. But with Nighty, there was nothing there to read. What others found so cold and distant made Bloom feel protected.

Bloom was snapped out of his train of thought as Sunny placed a large bowl of soup in front of him with a soft _clink_. 

"Nighty made dinner tonight, he's the best! Sunny chirped before practically skipping to his seat. 

"Hey cutie-" a robed skeleton slurred before being abruptly cut off by Nighty shoving a large roll in his mouth. The skeleton's bones were black but glimmered with shifting, glittering colors. His head was framed with a long pair of horns decorating with gold chains, and his eyes were an unsettling yellow color with a set of grossly yellowed teeth to match. Geeze, did he not know what a toothbrush was? Even the long cloak he was wearing looked unwashed and unkempt. 

"Shut it Cloak, you're drunk. You're going back to your room after dinner." Nighty said flatly. 

Cloak leaned over the table drunkenly, nearly falling onto the tabletop. "Oooh, no faaaair, I haven't even gotten to introduce myself yet," he drawled. 

_Stars, he smells horrid._ Bloom thought to himself as he had the misfortune of being within a few inches of the drunk skeleton. _I swear to Asgore if he fucking touches me-_

Bloom thought process was abruptly cut off as Cloak leaned his face within centimeters of his nose hole. Bloom instinctively let out a deep, throaty, animalistic growl causing Cloak to lurch backward. 

"Oooh, spicy." Cloaked crooned before reaching out to touch Bloom's shoulder. Bloom's reservation snapped as he panicked at the thought of being touched by some greasy, sleazy bastard. 

" **Don't fucking touch me, you smell like the last bath you had was in your mother's amniotic fluid!** " Bloom snarled. 

The room suddenly went very quiet as Cloak swayed back again. He tripped over his chair and sloppily fell into the seat, his arm flopping over the back. He was clearly taken aback by Bloom's remark. He groaned and rolled his eyes as the chatter in the room roared back to life with laughter. 

"I don't smell _that_ bad." Cloak argued.

"If you smell at all, you have a problem, and you wreak like a fish market dumpster." another skeleton replied from farther down the table before pulling their hood farther over their face and taking another bite of food.

Cloak crossed his arms and puffed out his cheeks as another wave of laughter rolled over the table.

Bloom chuckled and took a bite of food. He didn't know what this soup was, but Sunny was right. It was the best. Bloom's tail began to wag happily as he quietly slurped down a mouthful of noodles. This had to be the best soup he'd had in his life. Or, maybe it was the years of borderline starvation talking. The broth was hearty, savory, and robust and filled with thick noodles, pork slices, vegetables, and a boiled egg. It reminded him of the pho soup Undyne used to make when he visited her house to discuss Boss's training. Although he'd never admit it to her, Nighty's was way better. 

Dinner passed with light, meaningless conversation. Bloom had never felt so full in his life and his tail wagged contently as he sat at the table and continued listening to the group jabber. It was getting late, and slowly the group began to put away their dishes and turn in for a good night's sleep.

The first two to leave were Fitti and her lover, Sneak, who begrudgingly stopped to introduce himself. Or rather, to be introduced by Fitti.

"Stop being so grumpy, Sneak! It was just a hug. Besides, it wasn't Bloom's fault. You should say hi!" Fitti reasoned.

Sneak followed her and stopped in front of Bloom reluctantly before giving him a half-hearted wave. "Hi." He said bluntly before dropping his arms to his side and avoiding eye contact. He wore mismatched sneakers, baggy pants, a t-shirt, a letterman jacket, a ball cap, and a novelty pair of sunglasses that read "LOL" across each of the lenses. The mismatched colors were eye-straining enough on their own, but borderline painful paired together.

"Sneak I _swear to god-_ I'm sorry Bloom, he's usually not like this."

Sneak remained silent and shoved his hands into his pockets as he pressed his mouth into a flat line. His behavior reminded Bloom of an edgy, immature teenager. He had to restrain a choked laugh as Sneak looked down at Fitti with more passive aggression than he'd ever witnessed in his entire life. It reminded him of the embarrassingly cringy phase Boss went through in his early teens where he constantly referred to himself as a "cool guy" and would only agree to do "cool guy" things when he, in fact, was making himself look like an idiot. 

Fitti sighed, her whole body sagging. "Why are you so insecure, you know I love you!" She groaned in frustration as they began to leave for their bedroom.

"Oh yeah. Sure." Sneak replied unconvincingly.

Glaze bounced to Bloom's side a few minutes later with a very gloomy skeleton in tow. "This is Zero!! He's my husband! He just wanted to say hi. He's very shy. Oh! And, he wanted me to tell you to not ever touch him unless he invites you to. He's not trying to be mean, he has haphephobia." Glaze grinned.

Zero looked up just enough for his eye lights to be visible from under his hood and waved shyly. Most of Zero's body was either covered with a long coat, hood, scarf, and socks or shrouded with a strange magical essence that manifested like computer glitches. The only distinct features Bloom could make out were his black curled ram's horns, a thin leathery tail tapering to a fluffy tip, and a colorful pair of bat-like wings that floated around his shoulders. The bat wings had clusters of moss and echo flowers around the thumbs, swaying in time with the airy bob of the detached wings. 

"Haphephobia?" Bloom questioned.

"The fear of being touched" Glaze explained.

"Oh! I promise not to touch you, it's nice to meet you!" Bloom said cheerily. "Your wings are very pretty..." he added.

Zero smiled gingerly underneath his hood and stared at the ground. Glaze gave a small bounce as he grinned at his lover. "Thanks, Bloom, he really appreciated that. We're gonna hit the hay! Come on honey, you look exhausted." Glaze said as he skipped up the stairs. Zero quietly waved goodbye before letting out a near-silent yawn and sleepily trodding up the stairs behind his husband. 

Bloom got up and began limping around the table and collecting the remaining dishes as Sunny loaded the dishwasher, humming contently before being interrupted as a goopy tentacle gently cupped the front of his ribcage from behind. He stopped and looked up at Nighty in confusion as the taller skeleton casually scooped the dishes out of his hand. "Sunny said you should stay off your feet for at least a week. You need to rest." He said before gliding around Bloom with a graceful gait and continuing to pick up the dirty dishes.

"He's right, you should go to sleep soon, it's getting late!" Sunny added. "Uhm, Nighty, can you handle Cloak tonight? And explain Cloak's rules to Bloom? I don't want Cloak catching him off guard, he's been through enough already."

Nighty placed a stack of dishes on the counter and nodded quietly before hoisting a drunken Cloak over his shoulder. Cloak flailed uselessly against the larger skeleton's strong grip. 

"Nooo, fuck you, fucking asshole, I hate you! I hate you!" Cloak whined as Nighty carried him upstairs. Bloom followed with a hop and a limp as he tried to keep pace with Nighty's long, smooth strides. Nighty noticed Bloom's struggle and offered him one of his tentacles to lean on as they walked up the stairs.

"Cloak was a serial rapist before he died. He can't keep his hands to himself and doesn't care about others' wants, needs, or consent. We've been trying to rehabilitate him since he arrived. But, he doesn't want to change, so it doesn't work. So, we have rules." Nighty stated in an exasperated tone as Cloak continued to fight his fate. Bloom watched as Cloak bit, hit, and struggled as hard as he could. Nighty reacted to Cloak's hits like an old horse might react to a pesky fly, flicking Cloak's hands in mild annoyance with his tentacles. 

"Cloak is locked in his room right after dinner and is only let out right before breakfast. There are no exceptions to this rule. He wears a health monitor and Sunny is notified if he is in medical distress by the Void. He has food and water in his room, so he is perfectly fine to stay locked up overnight." Nighty explained before stopping at Cloak's door and attempting to peel Cloak off of his shoulder. Cloak clung tight to Nighty's shirt with his claws as he tried to evade his imprisonment.

Nighty yanked on Cloak in frustration a few times before Bloom shyly interveined. "I... Have some training for this type of thing. I can show you a way to get him off without hurting him if you'd like." Bloom said. Nighty seemed skeptical but kneeled to accommodate Bloom's shorter stature.

Bloom inspected the base of Cloak's neck as he struggled, considering his best options. He ran his thumb over Cloak's cervical vertebrae, testing the sensitivity there. Cloak tensed and let out a hiss, so he guessed this was a good spot. "Uhm, you see this spot right here, 3 down?" Bloom pointed at the soft joint between the vertebrae there. Nighty peered over Cloak's shoulder at the spot before nodding.

Bloom gently grabbed Nighty's free hand and positioned it in the proper position over the joint. Wow. His hands were big. Oh. Wow. Bloom swallowed and blinked several times as he refocused himself on the matter at hand. He slipped his small, fragile hand over Nighty's own and guided him to apply pressure into the soft point of the joint, pressing just enough to cause Cloak to suddenly go limp and let out a huff of surprise as his body betrayed him.

"It only lasts as long as you hold him like that, but it's easy to carry him that way if you use his spine or ribcage kind of like a handle," Bloom said as he released Nighty's hand. Nighty pulled Cloak off of his shoulder with ease and walked a few steps into his dark bedroom before placing him face down on the floor. He quickly retreated as Cloak made a mad dash for the door, slamming the door in his face. Cloak howled and clawed angrily at the closed door as Nighty closed a sturdy padlock inside the latch.

"...Thank you," Nighty said gratefully. "The other rules. If Cloak does anything sexual to anyone, including yourself, tell Sunny or me immediately. We lock him up for at least an hour for each offense-" Nighty paused as Cloak shoved his fingers under the door and clawed at the carpet.

"If he starts forcing you into a room or a corner, you have every right to scream and make a scene. If he ever corners you, call out as loudly as you can. You can hurt him as badly as you need to get away or stop him. However, the Void has requested that we avoid killing him." Nighty finished before glancing down at Cloak's fingers still clawing under the door. Bloom saw something raw, angry, and animalistic flash in Nighty's eye lights for a moment before he looked away.

"That's all. Goodnight." He said as he walked away. He paused for a moment before patting Bloom's skull a couple of times. "Good job standing up for yourself earlier." He said before walking back downstairs. "Thank you... Goodnight." Bloom replied softly. Good job... He did a good job! He stimmed happily as he walked back to his room before stopping himself again as he noticed Sunny standing at the end of the hallway. 

Oh great, someone saw him- 

Sunny walked by casually and playfully rubbed the top of Bloom's skull, "Goodnight, sweet dreams!" Sunny said cheerfully before disappearing into his bedroom. 

_He... He didn't care. But he saw-_

Bloom shuffled down the hallway toward his room in confusion, pausing at his door. Sunny didn't care that he had stimmed. Did he know what he was doing? Did he know what it meant? But- He froze with his hand on the doorknob for a moment before entering his bedroom. That's right, the Void had sent Sunny a summary of his medical history. But, Sunny didn't treat him differently? If anything, Sunny treated him with more respect than he'd ever-

A loud, lewd pair of moans interrupted his train of thought. Fitti and Sneak's room was several rooms down from Bloom's, but there was no mistaking who it was or what they were doing as he heard their mattress creaking and the distinct sound of a wooden headboard pounding drywall. He rolled his eyes. The Void had a lot to offer, but soundproof walls were not on the list. Not. In. The. Slightest.

Bloom heard Nighty enter the room next to his and sigh heavily before muttering something. Nighty was his neighbor, neat. Bloom overheard several large, soft thuds next door. Sounded like clothes hitting the floor. Nighty had been wearing pajamas, so it was strange he was changing clothes again. 

_Unless he sleeps naked._

Bloom blushed heavily at the thought and he quickly shook his head and scolded himself. Why did it even matter? He was probably changing clothes because his pajamas had Cloak's horrible stench all over them after having to carry him like that.

His thoughts were interrupted by Sneak letting out a long, low holler. The creaking and rhythmic thumping ground to a halt within seconds. "SNEAK, YOU DIDN'T EVEN LAST TWO FUCKING MINUTES. DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT A CLIT IS?" Fitti snapped angrily.

"I'M DOING MY FUCKING BEST-" Sneak argued.

"YOU WEREN'T EVEN WEARING A FUCKING CONDOM, YOU BASTARD. I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD IF YOU GOT ME PREGNANT, YOU'RE A DEAD MAN. GO SLEEP ON THE COUCH!" She shouted.

"FITTI, COME ON-"

"OUT!!!"

A door slammed in the hallway and Cloak was heard booing distantly. 

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, CLOAK!" Sneak yelled.

"NO, BOO HIM HARDER," Fitti said defiantly.

Cloak's booing increased in intensity by tenfold. Bloom chuckled to himself as he heard Sneak groan loudly and stomp down the stairs. He listened as Sneak angrily punched the pillows and couch cushions before flopping over onto the couch and going quiet, Cloak's boos becoming less and less enthusiastic as he drifted off into sleep and silence. He heard a drawer quietly open and a small whirring noise before Fitti hummed quietly with satisfaction. The walls may be thin, but at least the commotion was over almost as soon as it started. 

Bloom opened his bed compartment before carefully stepping inside and shutting himself in. He sighed with contentment and flopped back onto the mattress, snuggling up into the cozy bedding and soft plushies. He watched as star lights embedded inside the walls came to life and dimly lit the small sleeping space. He smiled, mesmerized by the soft twinkling. He heard Nighty's mattress creak on the other side of their shared wall. He must have just laid down too.

Bloom closed his eyes as he felt himself relax. Only, the silence didn't last for long. His eyes snapped open. Nighty had let out a barely audible noise on the other side of the wall, but that noise sent the heat from earlier straight back to Bloom's face. Bloom had dealt with noisy neighbors before. But, he had never liked those neighbors. The noise had sounded so soft, so quiet, and so _desperate._. Bloom felt an unfamiliar pang in his pelvis and took in a sharp breath before holding it. The noise was probably nothing. Nighty probably just-

Another sweet, desperate, shaky noise graced Bloom's senses and he felt his pelvis _ache._. There was a small rustling noise on the other side of the wall before Bloom heard the distinct noise of bone gliding on skin as Nighty let out a shaky breath. Bloom shoved his hand in his pants and grabbed the front of his sensitive pelvis as another pang ripped through him. Nighty was being so quiet that he could barely hear him. He probably wouldn't be able to hear him at all if it weren't for the keen senses given to him by one of his more K9 ancestors. 

Nighty let out a low, trembling whine. Bloom could hear how slowly Nighty was stroking himself and couldn't help but imagine him worked up, flushed, and sweating as he slowly and deliberately palmed himself alone in his bedroom. The image sent a spark of magic to Bloom's pelvis and he quickly clamped a hand over his mouth to stifle the small, involuntary noise that escaped him. He unconsciously rocked into his hand, biting down on his tongue as he struggled to choke back the noise that threatened to escape his teeth. The gesture made himself aware that he'd been drooling and he nearly whined with embarrassment. 

He knew masturbating was normal and healthy. But, he'd never tried it himself. He had never had the time or energy to get off, even in his younger years. In fact, Bloom had never had an orgasm in his entire damn life. He had never felt the want or need to. But now... Nighty let out a small, needy moan. Bloom couldn't take anymore. He released his pelvis and quickly but quietly yanked his pants down, struggling to pull them off completely as he propped his hips up. He squirmed the offending pants off before leaning back and eyeing his pelvis. Hot, irritated magic swirled in his pelvic cradle. He had only formed his ecto once before, but it was against his will. Another moan passed through the wall and Bloom grit his teeth before experimentally slipping his hand down to his pubic symphysis and gently stroking it.

The touch sent a pleasurable shock through him and he took in a sharp, unsteady breath. This was a matter of intent. Bloom paused and looked around the small sleeping chamber before spotting a few drawers in the wall. He opened them and found an assortment of toys. He picked up a dildo and eyed it for a moment. This one was kind of big, and it had a knot, probably not for first-timers- Nighty moaned again, slightly more loudly. Fuck it.

Bloom tossed himself backward and rubbed his pubic symphysis furiously, desperately. Oh god, please, just let something form, anything. His breaths came in short pants as wave after wave of pleasure surged through him from the touch. Nighty let out a particularly loud huff. That seemed to be the spark Bloom needed as his ecto crackled into shape. He arched his spine and gasped in shock as the arousal he felt became ten times more intense. He was soaked, he could feel it dripping onto the sheets.

He shoved the dildo into his entrance and his mouth gaped in a silent scream as an intoxicating mix of pleasure and pain ripped through him. He was going to feel that tomorrow, but he couldn't care less right now. Bloom started with shallow thrusts as he tested the waters but that quickly turned into erratic, deep pounding as he strove the relieve the burning heat in his core. 

_Oh stars... yes... fuck... harder... harder..._

Something tight was coiling in Bloom's middle as he writhed blissfully on his mattress. His free hand was torn between muffling his pants and whines, groping his formed breasts, or teasing his swollen clit. His hand darted between them sporadically. It was so much. It was too much. But, he needed more. Harder. Faster. Deeper.

He heard Nighty cry out suddenly and the sound of something wet spattering the wall, and it completely undid him. The tightening coil snapped and Bloom arched off the bed with a sharp cry of his own as his eye lights fizzled out. Bloom _shook_ as he felt white-hot pleasure grip his soul, rip through his body, and white-out his vision. He felt himself gush around the dildo. Wave, after wave, after wave of bliss washed over him. It felt like it would never end until it suddenly did, and Bloom instantly fell limp against his mattress. The dildo slipped out with a wet pop as Bloom's chest heaved.

He felt his pussy throb dully with satisfaction as he caught his breath. His head felt empty as if it were buzzing softly with TV static, humming with post-orgasmic bliss. His hands grazed absent-mindedly over his ecto, leaving a wet trail from one of his hands. He brought the soaked hand to his mouth and suckled on his own slick. He tasted vaguely sweet and he hummed contently in a daze.

His breaths slowly subsided to a normal rhythm as his eye lights flickered back into existence. Wow. He had really made a mess. His head fell back against his pillows with a soft _pomf_. He had really just jacked off to the moans of someone he had only just met. He scolded himself and sat up, assessing the mess he had made on the sheets. He would have to switch them out for a fresh set. He had soaked a large area of the bed and there was no way he'd be able to sleep comfortably in his own mess. 

Bloom sighed with frustration and began gathering up his bedding. Next time, he would lay out towels first. (And try to respect his new neighbor's privacy.)


	5. Nightmares that Scare the God of Nightmares Himself

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Abuse, unwanted/nonconsensual groping, needles, scarring

Bloom woke up in pitch-black darkness and shivering violently. He shifted in confusion and heard the clinking of a chain as it dragged the ground. He fell limp once more. Hot tears beginning to stream down his face. It was a dream. Of course, it had been a dream. There truly was no way out of this hell hole. He curled in on himself and sobbed. It had been so real, it had been so good, but it was over. He bit back a wail as he heard the approach of Boss' heeled boots and braced for what he knew was coming.

The door flung open and the doorknob busted a new hole in the already battered drywall. Oh god, he was pissed. Bloom weakly tried to push himself away but was soon caught on the short chain bolted into the floor. A bright, white light filled his vision and he shrieked with pain as pain ripped through his seizing body for an unbearably long moment. The shock ceased and he fell uselessly against the ground again, whimpering. The smell of burnt bones and fresh blood filled his senses.

Boss was yelling but Bloom couldn't understand through the haze of his exhaustion. His hearing was overwhelmed with a piercing ringing and he struggled weakly to right himself. Boss's yelling increased in volume and anger before the collar was unlocked from the chain. Bloom was thrown against the wall and he covered his head as he fell to the ground. He didn't remember Boss bringing him to his room yesterday. He must have passed out outside again. Shit. Boss grabbed Bloom by his throat and slammed him against the wall as he continued to scream into Bloom's face. Bloom squirmed weakly and grabbed Boss's wrist, desperately trying to loosen his grip. This only prompted him to pull Bloom away from the wall and Bloom screamed as he felt himself swing back toward the wall with excessive force.

Only, the shattering pain he was expecting was cut off by a bright blue burst of light. The grip on his throat, the harsh cold, and the terrible pain was replaced with a feeling of numbness as he was suspended inside the blue light. The air felt thick with moisture and fog. Bloom breathed it in slowly and watched the air swirl around him in slow puffs.

Suddenly, the blue light was gone and he was back home in the Void. He stared dumbfounded at the TV screen in front of him as he became aware of where he was. He had gone to bed in the Void last night but- Was it a dream or? The TV flickered on by itself, displaying the opening title of a documentary on quantum physics. Bloom leaned back against the couch in confusion before pulling a blanket over his shoulders. A bowl of chips and a bottle of soda poofed into existence next to him. This was definitely a dream. He popped a chip into his mouth and chewed absentmindedly. The Void might not be real, but at least the promise of good dreams gave him something to live for, right?

Bloom relaxed as the documentary progressed. The subject went way over his head, but it was interesting, and the mathematical side sparked his interest. But, even as he settled into the dream, the feeling of unease never left him. He knew what he was waking up to. Boss was probably going to be even angrier with him when he woke up again. Shit. He popped one last chip into his mouth and took a sip of soda as the documentary ended. It wouldn't be long now, he guessed.

The sound of knocking on his door snapped Bloom awake and he sat bolt upright in his bed. 

_Bed?_

Bloom looked around in confusion. Which one had been the dream? Someone knocked again and the sound was followed with a very concerned, "Bloom?" It was Nighty.

"One minute!" Bloom replied as he pushed the hatch open and climbed out of his bed. The blankets on the couch were still neatly folded. There was no evidence that he'd ever even sat on it. He walked quickly over to the door and opened it to a very worried-looking Nighty.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yeah?" Bloom said with confusion, "I just had a bad dream." 

"I know, I saw it. Are you sure you're alright?"

"You... Saw it?"

"God of nightmares. I can give people nightmares or take them away. I tried to take yours away when I realized what was going on..." He explained. 

So it had been a dream. The Void was real. He was free.

"I'm okay I think. I was just confused when I woke up. Thank you for helping me..." Bloom reassured him.

Nighty didn't seem very convinced. He took a step away from the door. "Just, please let us know if you need anything. Breakfast is almost ready. Sunny will want to give you your next treatment after we eat." He said before walking downstairs.

_God of nightmares. Tori was right, maybe that book had some truth to it._ Bloom thought before sighing with relief. 

Bloom clung to the railing and began making his way down the stairs. He barely made it two steps before Cloak swooped in from behind and grabbed the back of his pelvis.

" **DON'T TOUCH ME!** " Bloom snapped instinctively.

Cloak smirked before squeezing the bone in his grip.

_Oh no he fucking did NOT- Can't he catch a fucking BREAK?_

Bloom summoned a bone attack and slammed the blunt bone into the back of Cloak's knee. Cloak released him with a yelp as his knee buckled and he tumbled down the staircase. He rolled to stop at Nighty's waiting feet and groaned. Nighty rolled his eyes and Sunny loudly sighed behind him. 

"I'll get a tray of food ready for his room," Sunny said irritably. 

Nighty unceremoniously stooped down and grabbed Cloak as Bloom had taught him yesterday. Not that it was needed, Cloak seemed to have accepted his swift defeat as he was carried up the stairs. The only emotion his limp body allowed him was a burning glare as he and Nighty passed Bloom. Nighty silently patted Bloom's skull as he passed.

"Bloom, are you alright?" Sunny asked as Bloom reached the bottom of the stairs.

"I'm fine, he didn't get very far." He replied before sitting at the table.

"I need to see where he grabbed you after breakfast. He's been known to cause... Infection. When newcomers aren't compliant with his actions." Sunny put gently. 

"Okay," Bloom replied nervously. 

_I'm surprised he doesn't cause infection just from existing. He's nasty..._ Bloom thought to himself. 

Breakfast went by without a hitch and Bloom stuck around to enjoy the others' company afterward. Nighty stayed seated next to Bloom the entire time despite not seeming to be interested in the conversation. Bloom noticed Sunny observing his behavior with a knowing smile. He looked at him with confusion and Sunny quickly turned his attention elsewhere. What was that look for?

Bloom eyed the two brothers warily as the others left the kitchen one by one and the dirty dishes were put away. Nighty only excused himself to his room after Sunny retrieved Bloom for his injection.

"How have you been feeling?" Sunny asked as he helped Bloom up the stairs.

"A lot better than when I got here. I really appreciate your help, Sunny." Bloom huffed as he caught his breath. He opened his bedroom door and allowed Sunny inside before closing the door behind him.

"I'm glad, can I see where he touched you?" Sunny asked as he peered down at Bloom. Bloom normally would have been uncomfortable. But, Sunny seemed so innocent about it.

Bloom pulled his clothes away from the back of his pelvis and Sunny hissed through closed teeth. "It's bruised, but I think you're fine. If it gets tender to the touch or turns yellow or brown, let me know. I'll have to start you on antibiotics." Sunny said as he crouched and inspected the area. "How is your arm?" He continued. Bloom pulled his pants back up and presented his arm to Sunny, who gingerly unwrapped the bandages. "Looking good." He noted. The scratches from yesterday had disappeared without a trace.

"Alright, can I see your soul again?" Sunny asked. This time, Bloom manifested his soul without hesitation. Sunny handled the construct with just as much skill and care as yesterday as he prepped its surface for the injection. "One of the cracks is gone, you should be proud of yourself for improving so quickly," Sunny praised as he pricked the surface with the needle.

Bloom smiled, "Thank you."

Sunny finished the injection and released Bloom's soul from his grasp. " I was told I need to take a look at your tooth, are you alright with me sticking around for a little while longer?" He asked.

Bloom nodded in agreement and Sunny pulled a small flashlight out of his pocket before gently guiding Bloom to open his mouth with a stroke of his hand. He carefully pushed the top of Bloom's 'lip' aside with his thumb and aimed the flashlight into Bloom's mouth as he inspected the offending gold tooth. "It seems Nighty has taken a liking to you." He commented, glancing up at Bloom's eye lights for a short moment. Bloom looked at him with confusion before Sunny tilted his jaw up to view his tooth from a different angle.

"It's unusual, but it's nothing to worry about. He's very sweet but he has trouble expressing his feelings. Believe it or not, he's scared of most people." Sunny explained. 

_Nighty? Scared?_ Bloom scoffed internally. Midnight seemed like an unstoppable force, at least in his eyes. Just the way he had brushed off Cloak's heavy blows like nothing was evidence of that.

Sunny laughed and Bloom realized he must have been giving Sunny a funny look. Sunny released Bloom's jaw and he closed his mouth before licking his teeth. "That tooth needs to be replaced," he said, "It will do for now, but it doesn't fit right and it's not in line with your other teeth. There's also some scarring in there that might cause problems if it isn't corrected. We need to finish your first week of injections before we start thinking about fixing it, though" he said as he stood up. 

"I know Nighty asked earlier, but I wanted to be sure. Are you okay? He hasn't seen a nightmare that bad in a long time, and it's pretty weird for him to be so shaken up about it." Sunny asked. 

"I'm okay, I promise. Just something about Boss." Bloom replied.

"Boss? That's a weird name." Sunny commented.

"It's not his real name, that's just, uhm, what he made me call him." Bloom trailed off awkwardly.

Sunny seemed to consider Bloom's statement before realizing what he meant. "Your brother..."

Bloom didn't know why, but he felt tears fill his sockets at the statement. Sunny's face softened and he crouched back down to Bloom's height, wrapping him in a hug. 

"I'm sorry-" Bloom apologized. He didn't know what for. He just felt so guilty...

"It's okay, it's gonna be okay, alright? You've done nothing wrong." Sunny reassured him as he rubbed Bloom's back soothingly. "You've been doing so well."

Bloom trembled and returned Sunny's hug. Sunny comforted him for several minutes as he cried until he couldn't cry anymore. Bloom's quiet hiccups slowed to a stop he sniffled slightly. He was so tired. Sunny squeezed him gently for a moment before letting go and sitting back on his heels. He wiped Bloom's tears away tenderly with o look of worry. "You have to be so exhausted." 

Bloom nodded in agreement and gave him a weak smile. 

"Nighty usually goes downstairs to read in the living room around this time if you want to join him and take a nap. He can watch over you and make sure you don't have another nightmare." Sunny offered. Bloom nodded again and Sunny smiled as he stood up.

Bloom shuffled over to the couch and picked up a blanket and a fluffy bunny plushie before following Sunny downstairs. Nighty was waiting in an armchair with a book as promised. He looked up from reading as he heard Bloom sniffle and gave him a look of concern. Sunny waved him off and Bloom climbed onto a large ottoman before curling up under his blanket and nuzzling his face into the velvety material of the plushie. He heard Nighty and Sunny exchange a few words before Sunny left and Nighty turned the page of his book. 

Bloom felt a slippery-smooth tentacle begin to stroke his back comfortingly as he drifted off to sleep.


	6. Nap Time is Great, But have You Considered... Feelings?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No trigger warnings for this chapter. 
> 
> Let me know if you think it needs a tag!

Bloom awoke peacefully from his nap hours later and poked his head out of his blanket cocoon with a silent yawn. He rested his head on the ottoman and peered around the room sleepily. Nighty had fallen asleep in his chair with his book neatly folded in his lap. The tentacle that had previously helped soothe Bloom to sleep laid relaxed and heavy over his back. Bloom gazed contently at Nighty's sleeping face. He looked so peaceful and content... Even at rest, he held an air of grace and dignity. He was... 

_Beautiful._

Bloom blinked a few times and quickly averted his gaze. He had only just met Nighty yesterday, now was not the time to be getting all warm and fuzzy over him. Although, he couldn't help but snuggle into the gentle press of Nighty's tentacle. He sighed with utter satisfaction and relaxed lazily into the soft cushion of the ottoman as he continued to sleepily observe the room.

Sunny and Cozy were cuddling on the couch as they shared a tablet. Every once in a while, they would chuckle at the screen. Bloom could vaguely see the reflections of cat videos playing on the surface of Cozy's reading glasses. The two adjusted their positions after a particularly strong laugh, curling even closer together. Everyone else was nowhere to be seen.

Nighty shifted slightly in his sleep and the tentacle laying across Bloom's back curled around him gently. Bloom leaned into the smooth appendage and practically oozed into a comfortable position. A soft rumble escaped his chest and he began to purr quietly before closing his eyes once more. 

Bloom had never felt this safe and relaxed in his entire life. The place he came from was a kill or be killed world where love and kindness were a luxury. You fought for what you had and, if you were weak, struggled to survive. People were always on the lookout for a reason to belittle you or use your weaknesses to their advantage.

But here, in the Void, Bloom felt safe. The only danger to him thus far had been Cloak but, with everyone sharing the same space, it was fairly easy to keep Cloak off of his back. Aside from him, the others hadn't given him a reason to not trust them yet. So far, so good.

"What's that noise?" Cozy whispered.

"I think Bloom is purring!" Sunny whispered back.

"Awwwwh, that's precious." Cozy cooed. 

"Isn't it?" Sunny agreed.

Bloom smiled tenderly at the praise as he felt himself drifting off back to sleep. The others must have not noticed he had woken up.

"I think Nighty likes him..." Cozy commented in a hushed tone. 

Bloom snapped to attention as he listened and feigned sleep.

"Me too! I'm so happy to see him showing interest in someone finally. I just hope he isn't too scared to do something about it." Sunny replied nervously. 

"I remember you telling me what happened when you two were kids. You think it still bothers him?" Cozy asked.

"I know it still bothers me." Sunny whispered solemnly. 

"Bloom is really sweet. Maybe he's just what Nighty needs." Cozy reasoned. 

"Maybe." Sunny whispered with hope. 

_But... What happened to him?_ Bloom thought to himself. Tori had said that the Void only chose people who had lived terrible lives. He felt his heart drop at the idea. So many of the people here were so sweet and caring. He couldn't imagine seeing them go through so much pain.

Heavy steps and grumbling echoed down the stairs, interrupting his thoughts. Clearly, Sneak was still in an ill mood. Bloom was beginning to wonder if Fitti's reassuring words that Sneak was 'normally not like this' held any truth. The stomping came to a halt within a few feet of Bloom. There was silence for a few long moments.

"What the heck is going on here?" Sneak said before Sunny and Cozy shushed him urgently. Sneak sighed loudly and Bloom could practically _hear_ the eye roll that accompanied it. "Fitti is still mad at me, what am I supposed to do?" he whispered with annoyance.

"Apologize to her and let her hug her friends," Cozy replied.

"And maybe learn how to last longer than 45 seconds in bed." Sunny chuckled.

Sneak huffed and Bloom heard Sunny and Cozy laugh quietly. "He was another guy! It's so not cool!" Sneak complained.

"Hate to break it so you but Fitti swings both ways so with that logic she wouldn't be able to hug anyone but you and that's totally unfair." Sunny scolded.

"Besides, nothing about a hug is sexual. It's just a hug! It's not like she's sleeping around, she just wanted to share platonic affection." Cozy elaborated. 

"What does 'platonic' even mean?" Sneak snapped with a whisper-shout. 

"Intimate but in a strictly-friends way," Sunny replied as if it were a dumb question. 

_And it kinda was._

"Whatever," Sneak grumbled and Bloom laughed inwardly.

_Small dick energy._

"But seriously. What the frick is this, anyway?" Sneak asked. 

"They're taking a nap?" Cozy said. "Why?"

"Cuz' it's weird! Nighty is bein' all touchy-feely and they just met frickin' yesterday." Sneak griped.

"... He has his tentacle laid on Bloom's back. I don't think it's inappropriate, especially since Bloom isn't uncomfortable with it." Cozy defended. 

_This guy is so fucking stupid. Does he ever stop whining?_ Bloom huffed inwardly. He shifted slightly and laid his head in the curve of Nighty's tentacle before purring more loudly. Sneak let out a _tsk_ at the action and Bloom heard him walk away. 

"I'm going skateboarding." He called over his shoulder grumpily before slamming the door behind him. Bloom jumped at the sound and jerked his head upwards, looking around the room nervously. Nighty's tentacle returned to rubbing his back soothingly. The loud bang must have woken him up as well.

"It's okay, you're safe, it was just Sneak," Sunny said comfortingly. He leaned over from the couch and pet Bloom's head a few times. Bloom smiled at Sunny gratefully as he withdrew his hand and sat back on the couch. 

Bloom laid his head back down and peered at Nighty. Midnight blinked sleepily and yawned. "You okay?" He asked. Bloom nodded and smiled before uncurling himself and stretching. He sat up and pulled the blanket over his shoulders before hugging the plushie in his lap. 

Nighty pulled his phone out of his pocket and glanced at the screen. "It's about time for lunch." He stated. 

"It was Sneak's turn to cook lunch and he just left. He's been making a fool of himself lately." Sunny said.

_Yeah, no joke._ Bloom thought to himself.

"Agreed." Nighty replied before pausing for a moment. "Bloom, I heard you've never seen the surface before?" He questioned.

Bloom tilted his head slightly in confusion. Just how much information had the Void given them? "I haven't, there wasn't a way out of the underground," Bloom replied.

"Would you like to go there and get something to eat?"


	7. Spicy Food and Spicy Friends!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bullying

Nighty and Bloom walked out of the house after several minutes of Bloom struggling to change out of his pajamas and into normal clothing. Nighty offered his hand as Bloom hobbled along, and Bloom took it gratefully. Somewhere in his mind, Bloom knew holding the hand of the towering skeleton made him look like a child. He blushed slightly and pushed the thought of his mind. Anyone who saw his tired, scarred face would know otherwise. (Even if they were still amused by how short he was.)

Bloom looked around in confusion as they walked. How exactly were they going to get anywhere from out here? The only things that seemed to exist in the Void thus far were the house and the people occupying it. Nighty glanced down at Bloom before stopping in the middle of the endless white expanse.

"We have to open portals to get anywhere. I can teach you how but we need to wait until after Sunny clears you to start using magic again." He explained."This might be kind of loud," He warned before his eye light pulsed with a familiar blue glow and the light filled his socket, spilling out in wisps. A glowing crack split through the air and opened a rift in the Void. A waft of unfamiliar scents and sounds punched Bloom in the face.

Nighty gently guided Bloom into the dimensional tear and helped him step over the small ledge. 

Bloom's eyes widened.

It was beautiful.

They stepped out onto a lush green meadow. Flowers and grass swayed gently as a cool breeze washed over them and Bloom gently brushed his free hand over the tops of the waving plants. The sky was a crystalline blue and dotted with cottony puffs of white clouds. The sun cast warm light over the hills as they walked into a cluster of trees. Bloom watched as the leaves cast dancing shadows over their surroundings. Birds and squirrels flapped and bounced over their heads as they walked along, filling Bloom's head with the sound of their musical chirps and squeaks. 

Nighty led him to a dirt path and began to speak as they approached a distant village. "This is where Sunny and I are from. The people here won't like us because of the way we look. But, try not to worry about them. They won't bother you as long as you stay with me." Nighty warned. Bloom nodded in understanding, albeit nervously. Maybe that had something to do with what happened to him when he was a kid...

The dirt path eventually gave way to a smooth stone street as they walked. Nighty's grip on Bloom's hand tightened as they entered the village and Bloom unconsciously began to step closer to his side. The houses in the village consisted mostly of wood, stone, and mud. Although, some other houses looked much more modern. Everything about the streets seemed mismatched from the occasional change in paving material, the scattering of telephone poles, and the lack or presence of electricity in different areas. The only overall themes seemed to be the color choices of red, gold, brown, and black along with common accents of floral paintings, small gardens, paper lanterns, and signs written in a foreign language.

Bloom began to notice the villagers glaring at him and Nighty. Several groups of people pointed at the two of them and jeered in a language Bloom didn't understand before laughing hysterically. A group of children stopped and threw a handful of pebbles at Nighty, all of which he casually deflected back at them with magic. Bloom glanced up at Nighty and found him completely unmoved by their behavior. Nighty simply cupped a tentacle around Bloom's ribs and guided him to press himself directly against Midnight as they walked. Bloom clung to his hand with both of his own, hiding part of his face in Nighty's sleeve.

"The people here judge everyone by their appearance, and they have... Unreasonably high standards. They'll harass you for the slightest imperfection, even if it's something that can't be helped." He explained. "It's best to ignore them and act like it doesn't bother you. They get bored with it and leave you alone usually."

_Oh... So that's why he's always so quiet._ Bloom thought to himself. _But what's wrong with the way he looks? He's so..._ Bloom cut off that thought before it finished, scolding himself for growing so attached so quickly. These kinds of feelings could get him killed where he came from. _I'm lucky Nighty isn't so violent..._

"Yen owns the restaurant we're going to and he doesn't tolerate this kind of stuff there. His family has owned the place for centuries and it's always been a place of respect. I was friends with his father and grandfather as well, they're all good people." He said reassuringly. Bloom smiled up at him from under Nighty's sleeve and Nighty patted his head with a tentacle before swatting away the hands of a passerby. 

The general taunting and jabs continued for several minutes as Bloom and Nighty walked through the village. Nighty turned onto a brick path and Bloom sighed with relief as he realized it led to a large building far removed from the busy streets. The stately restaurant seemed to be one of the few places in town that had both electricity and phone service. Groups of people sat around tables chatting and eating happily, some occasionally bursting with laughter. 

A tall skeleton looked up from taking orders at a table and gleefully greeted Nighty. He jogged up to him and practically jumped into his arms, giving him a strong hug and drumming on the back of Nighty's ribs before dropping to the ground. He energetically motioned for Nighty to follow him, but not before giving Bloom a playful smirk and winking at Nighty as he bounced along. Nighty playfully shoved him and laughed as he led Bloom inside.

_His laugh is so pure..._ Bloom thought to himself as the other two jabbered in the same unknown language. The waiter sat Bloom and Nighty down at a table before skipping away with a pen and paper, calling to someone in the back of the restaurant.

"That was Yen. He's... Different." Nighty said before another waiter returned with a tray of cups, a teapot, and a thick glass bottle. She politely greeted Nighty and shared a few words with him before handing him a menu and trotting away. "And that was his wife, Jen." he smiled. This was the happiest Bloom had seen Nighty so far and he grinned back at him as Nighty poured tea into Bloom's cup.

"Can you eat spicy food?" Nighty asked. 

"I can handle food spicy enough that it's made other concerned for me medically," Bloom replied with an awkward chuckle.

"Medically?" Nighty raised an eyebrow. 

"Someone tried to prank me by feeding me soul reaper peppers because I didn't know what they were... I thought they were fruit... Someone's mom walked by and saw what I was eating and slapped it out of my hand and called poison control." Bloom explained. 

Nighty snorted and tea shot out of his hole, making Bloom giggle. Nighty quickly wiped the tea away as he spoke. "It is medically concerning that you thought soul reaper peppers were _fruit._ " he joked. 

"They're not spicy!" Bloom said.

"They are! They're really spicy. Sunny tried to eat soul reaper sauce once and he was in bed with a stomach ache and a puke bucket for days." Nighty replied.

Bloom laughed and took a sip of tea. Nighty shook his head in disbelief before opening the menu, "Do you like squid?" He asked.

"I've never had squid. We didn't have much of a selection for that type of thing in the underground." Bloom replied.

"That makes sense. Would you like to try it?" He asked.

"I'll try anything once!" Bloom said with a smile.

Nighty returned his smile and flipped through the menu, asking Bloom a few more questions before Yen returned to take their order. Yen and Nighty chatted briefly before Nighty's face flushed deeply with blue magic and he playfully slapped Yen away with one of his tentacles. Yen cackled as he swatted the tentacle away and bounded back into the kitchen. 

"What did he say?" Bloom laughed as Nighty giggled, leaning his face into his hand. 

" Nothing! Nothing. Don't worry about it." He said with embarrassment. 

Yen passed by the table again moments later and Bloom glanced at him just in time to see him lewdly gesture at Bloom before realizing he had been caught and comically feigning innocence with an animated expression. He danced away to serve another table. "Oh, so that's what that was about?" Bloom joked as he turned back to Nighty.

Nighty's entire face was now flushed and he grinned awkwardly. "Yen doesn't have a filter." He said with a flustered grin.

Bloom giggled and stimmed with amusement. Nighty smiled softly at Bloom as he calmed and took another sip of tea. "Sunny said you were embarrassed by that." Nighty stated.

"About? Wait... Oh, sorry." Bloom said anxiously as he realized what he'd just done. He scolded himself inwardly for stimming so openly. Why was it so hard to just act normally?

Nighty's tentacle gripped Bloom's wrist, pulling his claws away from his scarred arm. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Who got the idea into your head that it was wrong to be happy?" Nighty asked with concern as he gently grabbed Bloom's arm and inspected it. He rubbed the bones gently before releasing Bloom's arm, seemingly relieved that he'd prevented Bloom from clawing himself again. Bloom felt his tail curl under the back of the chair as it attempted to tuck itself between his legs.

"People where I'm from just... Liked to find any reason they could to pick on you. They used 'autistic' as an insult so I just... Thought it was bad." Bloom replied shyly. His gaze fell on his reflection in the teacup. 

"Bloom..." Nighty said. Bloom glanced up at him shyly and Nighty tilted his chin up tenderly with the tip of one of his tentacles. "It's not bad, people are just jerks. You shouldn't listen to them." He reassured him.

Bloom smiled at him gratefully. But, before he could reply, Yen loudly cheered at Nighty as he leaped over the bar counter in a single, smooth stride and landed next to the table, expertly balancing a miraculously unspilled tray of food. He arranged the plates and bowls on the table at lightning speed before giving Nighty a comical salute and saying something in a sing-song voice. Nighty snorted and shooed him away and Yen ran back into the kitchen singing loudly. Nighty called after him and Yen poked his head through the door and gave him a silly, cross-eyed grin in return before disappearing into the kitchen once more. 

Bloom picked up a pair of chopsticks before casually taking a bite of food. He honestly had no idea what he was eating, but it was really good. He swallowed the chewy substance before licking the spicy sauce off of his teeth. "Squid is good?" Nighty asked.

"Squid is really good!" Bloom replied before popping another bite into his mouth.


	8. I Think I Like You Just a Bit Too Much

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Injury, fighting, rape mention, masturbation, smut

Bloom trotted back into the house with Nighty after coming home from lunch. Nighty's cold and distant facade had returned as soon as they left the safety of Yen's restaurant. But, Bloom was glad to at least have some vague reasoning for the behavior. Maybe Nighty was just as scared as he was...

"Did you two have fun?" Sunny asked cheerily.

"We went to Yen's." Nighty replied.

Sunny's eye light flickered into a large star shape in his socket as he smiled gleefully. "Really?" He said excitedly.

 _That's... Not the question he was asking. What's so special about Yen's restaurant?_ Bloom thought to himself. _It was good but... Why is he so excited?_

"Yes." Nighty said flatly before pulling a book out of his pocket and sitting down to read. Sunny bounced and clapped a few times in response.

Bloom smiled and made his way toward the stairs. Those two were so weird. He stopped halfway up as he heard Fitti sniffling quietly. _...Is she okay?_ He tentatively took a few more steps up the stairs before quietly sniffing a few times. _No blood... Not sure why I even checked. I doubt anyone would hurt-_

Fitti sat in the corner at the end of the hallway with her head in her hands, crying quietly. Bloom started toward her but thought better of it and stopped before looking downstairs. He waved a few times to catch Sunny's attention, who saw his look of worry and quietly joined him upstairs. Sunny peered around the edge of the railing before walking down the hallway. Bloom hesitated for a moment but soon followed in Sunny's footsteps. Sunny crouched down to Fitti's height and Bloom sat cross-legged next to her. 

"Fitti, what's wrong?" Sunny asked fearfully. Bloom shifted uncomfortably at the usually confident skeleton's uneasy tone.

Fitti rubbed her eyes in an attempt to wipe her tears away. "Just Sneak. He's been really sour today."

"Is he seriously still hung up on you hugging Ezekiel?" Sunny asked.

"Yes! No matter how many different ways I tell him we're just friends, he acts like I cheated on him! He threatened to leave me..." Fitti cried. 

Bloom felt his face grow hot with anger. Sure, he'd never dated anyone before. He had no place in giving relationship advice. But, even he knew that was wrong. 

Sunny huffed and wiped one of Fitti's tears away. "He's being stupid. We've all been telling him the same thing! I don't know what it's going to take to get it through his thick-"

"Skull?" Sneak spat behind them. Bloom jumped to his feet, startled by his unexpected appearance.

"Seems like that's the real problem here, isn't it?" Sunny returned with venom.

Bloom scooted closer to Fitti as he unconsciously placed himself between her and Sneak. Everything about this guy was putting up red flags in Bloom's mind.

"Oh, and you've got the whiney little rat in on it now, huh?" Sneak hissed.

 _Whiney? I don't remember whining about anything..._ Bloom thought to himself. 

Sunny leaned in between Sneak and Bloom, "Don't call him that! And he's not whiney! If anything, he should be complaining more with the pain I know he's in right now!" Sunny snapped, "If anyone is whiney it's you since you can't get over your girlfriend giving her friend a **hug.** "

Sneak rolled his eyes and lurched forward. "Come on Fitti, we're going to be late."

"I'm not going. I don't even like Derek." Fitti said quietly.

"Fitti-" Sneak reached his hand around Sunny and Bloom instinctively grabbed his wrist, clenching it tightly in his hand.

"She said she's not going. Stop." Bloom spat with more confidence than he had ever mustered throughout his life and death. 

Sneak withdrew his hand momentarily as he seemed to consider Bloom's threatening expression before lunging at him. He lifted Bloom easily off the ground with one hand and Bloom _broke_. Undyne's words echoed in his head. _Never let anyone hurt you like he hurt you ever again._

Well, he knew damn well he wouldn't let Sneak hurt Fitti either.

Bloom's hand snaked up Sneak's sleeve as he felt for the joint of his elbow before swiftly digging the point of his sharpened claw into the joint, hooking the curve of it around inside the socket and piercing the softer bone inside. Sneak dropped Bloom with a shriek of pain and his skeeve ripped as Bloom's claw was torn from his arm and out of the cloth. Bloom eyed the exposed elbow carefully.

 _Minimal bleeding. I did it right. Good._ Bloom thought to himself. He hadn't forgotten his training. 

Sunny checked that Bloom was okay and Bloom nodded in agreement before Sunny checked on Sneak's arm. Sneak clutched at his arm while grumbling pathetically. "Maybe that will teach you not to handle others so roughly." Sunny scolded. Sneak groaned as he leaned his head back and tapped his foot. "Be still." Sunny chided. 

Bloom turned back to Fitti and found her peering at him with a knowing smirk. "You know things you're not supposed to, don't you?" She asked. 

"Ssssshhhhhh, it's no fun if everyone knows about it!" Bloom joked. "Are you okay?" He asked as he sat down with her.

"I'm fine. It just gets frustrating when he's like this." She sniffed. "I've never seen him lay hands on someone before, I don't know why he's been so wound-up lately." She sighed. "I can't think of anything that would have set it off. He was fine with me hugging other people before!"

Bloom shifted nervously in his seat. _Boss didn't really give me any warning either..._ he thought to himself. Fitti seemed to notice his discomfort and changed the subject. 

"I heard Nighty say he took you to Yen's downstairs." She said. "That's kind of a big deal."

"How so?" Bloom asked.

"Long story short, Nighty has been there for Yen's family for centuries. Whenever the restaurant fell on hard times, Nighty was there to make ends meet. Nighty's had an open invitation for like, **for-ev-er** to bring someone to eat with him at Yen's. Their family is kind of like 'you've always fed ours, let us feed yours.' But, Nighty's never taken them up on it until now." Fitti explained. "He likes you, like, like-likes you."

"But why? I just met him yesterday. And all I've done is limp around, be useless, and cry." Bloom replied.

"First off, I think I'd be limping way harder than you if I just got up and started walking after being forced to _crawl_ for over a year," Fitti said matter-of-factly. "Second, you are not useless. Sunny told you to rest because you _need_ to rest. It's not up for debate. Besides, you just got my boyfriend off my ass. That definitely counts as something." she continued. "And third of all, I'd be fucking bawling. We all got a message about what you've been through from the Void. The fact that you're even _remotely_ coherent right now is mind-blowing to me." She finished. 

Bloom chuckled bitterly. "Maybe you're right. I'm just used to hearing otherwise." 

Fitti looked down at her lap for a moment as she processed the statement before speaking. "But... Maybe you could get used to hearing that you're loved?" She asked.

Bloom smiled warmly and he felt his soul burst with warmth. He looked down to see it glowing brightly again and manifested it, cradling it in his hands. "Woah..." Fitti said with awe as she watched one of the cracks begin to close up. Sunny tore his attention away from Sneak to investigate the situation, crouching down and joining the two in viewing the construct. 

"Woah indeed, two cracks healed in two days!" He praised as he patted Bloom's shoulder. "You're doing so well!"

Bloom wagged his tail happily before Sneak groaned loudly and Sunny turned back to him. "Oh alright, drama king. It's just a scratch!" Sunny said tiredly as he led Sneak back to his room. Fitti covered her mouth as she tried to smother a laugh. 

"I HEARD THAT!" Sneak called over his shoulder. Fitti clicked her tongue and pressed her lips together as she continued to giggle.

"Thank you for sticking up for me, bud. You're really a great guy." She said, patting Bloom's shoulder as she stood up. "I'm gonna go visit my Mom, she always has the best advice when Sneak is acting weird. See ya later, alligator!" She said as she left. Bloom smiled at her and waved, "See ya!"

Bloom sighed contently before crawling to the nearby wall and helping himself up. He winced slightly as he stood and gripped the back of his spine. Woo boi, maybe sitting on the floor like that wasn't a great idea. He rubbed his aching spine and began to hobble back to his room. Maybe now was a good time to try out that fancy bathtub.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket as he walked and began to flick through his messages. Most of it was unimportant, just notifications from Chirp. He really needed to figure out a way to let everyone know he was alive. Or, close to it anyway. He noticed a few new messages from the group chat and opened the app as he kicked his shoes off in the bathroom. He turned the tap on and started to undress between messages.

_Sans: Hewwo OwO_

_Grillby: Never fucking say that like that again._

_Sans: Awwwwh ÚwÙ_

_Undyne: Pfffft, hey dorkatron._

_Toriel: Hello my child_

_Alphys: Hey Sans! BRB guys! Tina just spilled acid on a fucking work laptop."_

_Sans: Oof._

_Undyne: Oof._

_Grillby: Yeah, oof. So, what's the mustard mouth gotten up to today?_

_Sans: Hey, I don't drink that much mustard!_

_Grillby: If you have drunk mustard at all then you have drunk too much mustard._

_Undyne: What he said._

_Toriel: Mustard is a condiment, not a drink, Sans._

_Sans: Shshshshsshshshhhhhhh. Let me be weird. Also, nothing much. I went out to lunch with Nighty._

_Undyne: Out? To lunch? With someone? Sans? No way._

_Sans: I'm not that much of a hermit, come on!_

_Grillby: Less hermit, more g-gremlin._

_Toriel: There's nothing wrong with saving money!_

_Undyne: There is if you spend all the money you saved on your shitty brother._

_Sans: Yeah, yeah. I triiiiiied_

Bloom placed his phone on the edge of the bathtub along with a bottle of 'Pinky Pink's Pink Punch' and a basket of bathing brushes. He carefully stepped into the bubbling bathtub before settling down into the mocha-scented bubbles and hot water. Oh. Holy fucking shit. He forgot how good baths felt. He leaned back against the side of the tub and picked up his phone again.

_Undyne: Speaking of your shitty brother, he got his ass kicked in today._

_Grillby: I don't believe that for a fucking second._

_Undyne: It's true! I watched a med van drop him off at home. He looks a lot worse off than I did when he ganked me._

_Sans: What the hell? But even Asgore couldn't fight him off. Who got him?_

_Undyne: I saw a bunch of posts online after your death got on the news that a bunch of kids were gonna storm the main headquarters and break into his office. I guess they weren't fucking joking! He's missing an arm and a leg now and I think one of his eye lights._

_Toriel: Oh my..._

_Grillby: Good. He fucking deserved it._

_Toriel: But, with the laws he set in place, he's now barred himself from returning to the royal guard leader position!_

_Undyne: Yeah, about that. Asgore called me. He's ordering another change in the laws while he still has the freedom to change them without having to go through a middle man. Ya gorl is back, baybeeeee!_

_Grillby: HELL YES! Finally, someone is back in office that cares about shit other than themselves._

_Sans: WOOOOOOOO!!!_

_Grillby: We should meet up to celebrate. I can close the bar up and it can just be us in there. Everything's on the house._

_Undyne: Hell yeah!_

_Toriel: I would very much enjoy that!_

_Sans: I can see if someone can help me drop by! I don't know how to open portals yet._

_Grillby: Hell yeah! Get the whole gang back together!_

_Sans: Yessss, missed you guys!_

_Toriel: Not to change the subject, but I've been worried. How has life been in the Void?_

Bloom paused for a moment to take a picture of himself in the luxurious bath before sending it to the chat.

_Sans: [image]_

_Sans: As good as life can get, I think. Cloak is pretty disgusting but they keep him under control so I don't have to worry about him much. Otherwise, Sneak is just making a major dick of himself lately. I'm told he's usually much nicer and I just happened to show up during one of his off spells._

_Toriel: But no one has hurt you, right?_

_Sans: Cloak bruised me a bit and Sneak /tried/ to but nothing major. Cloak got locked up in his room for it and I pulled an old judge trick on Sneak's elbow XD Sunny seems pretty convinced that I just scratched him and Sneak is just being dramatic... Little does he know..._

_Undyne: Oop XD_

_Grillby: Heheh, good on you, you little shit_

_Toriel: I was just concerned because I remembered Cloak supposedly had some... Sexual tendencies._

_Sans: Yeah that's why the lock on his door is on our side and not his. He gets locked up for being nasty._

_Toriel: Good._

_Undyne: Asgore just texted me for a conference call, I'll ttyl._

_Grillby: And I need to get back to the bar. See ya later_

_Sans: I'm gonna finish up my bath while the water is still warm. Love ya'll_

_Toriel: Take care, love you too_

Sans put his phone down and started digging around in the bath brush basket. There were a lot more brushes in there than he probably needed, but at least he had a full set now. He had only owned one for years but it seemed now he owned a different brush for every nook and cranny. He noticed a booklet in the basket and pulled it out and began reading it. It was a simple guide to which brush did what and how to care for the bristles. Neat. He skimmed through before picking up a specific brush. The bristles on this one were baby-soft. Meant for his face and other sensitive areas.

He lathered the brush with soap and ran the bristles over his cheek. Oh yes. That felt good. He closed his eyes and began working over his head, paying special attention to any cracks or scars. He dropped the brush into the bath and felt around the tap before turning on the showerhead, rinsing off his skull. He knew he was clean when he woke up in the Void yesterday, but this somehow felt even better.

Bloom picked up another brush and began working over his arms and ribs. The bristles of this brush were slightly stiffer and Bloom's breath hitched as they caught on a sensitive crack. A small burst of pleasure-pain sparked underneath the gentle massage of the brush. Oh, stars. That felt... Really good. He took deep, shaky breaths through his nasal aperture as he worked over the area. He really shouldn't be getting riled up over a bath. 

"ah!" A small gasp escaped his mouth as he pressed the brush along the inside of his ribcage. Bloom bit his tongue, cutting off the noise. Everyone was awake. Everyone would be able to hear him getting worked up over nothing like a fucking... Babybones. He internally scolded himself before continued to lather the inside of his ribs. He sighed with relief as he finished working on the sensitive area and dropped the brush into the bathwater. He rinsed his ribs before continuing.

His arms and shoulders were far less challenging, although his breath still came in heavy and deep. He worked over them with ease, paying special attention to his deeply scarred forearms. A small amount of the healing salve discolored the foam and Bloom worked the bristles of the brush into the offending area. He took in a shaky breath. The healed scratches still felt sensitive. He worked the brush upwards and ran it over his shoulders and collar bones. 

"hah!" Another small noise escaped his mouth and he grit his teeth. His pubic symphysis _throbbed_ and he unconsciously rocked into the tub floor. He bit back a whine as he forced himself to still his hips. _Everyone's gonna fuckin' hear me if I don't shut the fuck up._ he thought to himself as he tried to slow his breathing.

He moved the brush down to his legs. Probably better to avoid his spine and shit until he could calm down. He started at his feet, crossing one leg over the other. He worked the soap into his foot and between the fragile bones. He winced slightly as the stiffer bristles brushed over his paw pads before switching to a softer brush. Much better. The softer bristles tickled slightly and he flexed his foot against the offending sensation. 

He dragged the brush up his leg and scrubbed across the surface. All was fine and well until the feather-soft bristles trailed along the inside of his femur. He drew in a long, shaky breath as the heat returned to his pelvis. He clamped his mouth shut in an attempt to trap any more embarrassing noises. _God fucking damnit, this shouldn't be this hard..._ He thought to himself.

He dropped the brush and leaned back against the side of the tub as he tried to catch his breath. He sighed and allowed his head to roll back onto the edge of the tub. _This is supposed to be relaxing... Can't believe I'm letting it get away from me like this._ Bloom willed himself to calm down before picking the brush back up.

_I can do this. I just need to calm down. It's just a bath._

His resolve broke almost instantly as he pressed the brush against his spine. The bristles of the brushed splayed across the joint perfectly, sending another rush of pleasure through his body. A heated huff pushed past his teeth. Every pant was now damn near a moan. He gingerly worked down his spine in an effort to prevent further agitating the magic already swirling in the cradle of his pelvis. The brush passed down onto his iliac crests and Bloom had to stop for a moment to harshly pinch the area and bade off the forming magic. He winced and allowed himself a few moments to relax before continuing. _I can do this. I can do this._ He thought. 

Every trace of the brush over his pelvis exaggerated his arousal and he could no longer help the tiny whimpers escaping his mouth. He knew he sounded pathetic and he felt his face burn with shame. He'd take a hot shower next time. Just a quick hot shower. Maybe a washcloth wouldn't be so... so... 

He gasped as the brush rubbed over his public symphysis. He struggled internally as he fought off the forming magic, hooking a finger into the front of his pelvis to prevent it from filling the space inside. His pelvis throbbed painfully with arousal under the grip of his hand and he rubbed it soothingly with his thumb. The small motion only fed into his frazzled nerves and he moaned brokenly. He forced himself to stop rubbing the area and take in a few deep breaths. His hips twitched into his hand a few times in protest of the loss of stimulation. There was no way he was going to finish this bath and keep his dignity intact. 

He switched out brushes for a much smaller brush with silky-smooth bristles arranged around a stiff but bendable wire. He gulped as he brought the brush to his sacrum, hesitating before pressing it to the small bone. A low whine caught in his throat as he passed the brush through one of the small, sensitive holes. His body twitched between thrusting into the confining grip at the front of his pelvis and the burning pleasure in his sacrum. He felt the sensation begin to build in his soul as trickles of excess magic began to trickle out of the construct and down his spine.

The tight coil of his impending orgasm tightened with each stroke of the brush inside his sacrum as he moved from hole to hole. Tears of overstimulation welled up in his sockets and spilled down his cheeks as his breath came in desperate pants and gasps. He choked back a loud moan and slotted the brush into the last space. Almost done. So close. 

"Nighty-" he whispered with desperation before abruptly pulling the brush out of his sacrum and disposing of it on the tub floor. He trembled on the edge of orgasm and let go of his pelvis, leaning forward and gripping the edge of the tub with both hands. His member formed against his will and he thrust gently into the warm water, whimpering at the lack of stimulation. He slowed to a stop as his cock twitched heavily and the tight strain in his pelvis wound down resentfully. His head hit the edge of the bathtub with a hollow _thunk_. 

He liked Nighty, yes. Was it right? Probably not. He had only just met him yesterday and he was already jacking off to the thought of what he may have looked like while trying to blow off some steam. The memory of the sweet, desperate sounds Nighty had made last night flashed in Bloom's mind and he shivered. Bloom had been attracted to people before, sure. This was nothing new. Except... This was different. He'd never fallen for someone so quickly and so hard before. It wasn't right. Not only was it foolish but... Nighty deserved someone better.

His cock throbbed heavily and Bloom's hand trailed down and gripped it softly. "hah..." he moaned weakly. He stroked upward toward the tip and another weak noise escaped him. His mind flashed with the sound of Nighty's slow, deliberate strokes and he unconsciously matched his speed. _Fuck..._ His grip tightened experimentally and his mouth gaped with a silent cry. _Fuck! Yes!_

His hand sped up as began to buck ever so slightly into his grip. The echoes of Midnight's moans grew louder inside his skull. Oh stars, that felt so good. He was close again already, fuck. It felt so much more intense this time and he _shook_. Nighty's cries grew to a desperate tempo in his head and Bloom inhaled sharply before exhaling in a staccato of half-formed breaths. He felt a blinding burst of white-hot pleasure and nearly crumpled into a heap on the bathtub floor. He spilled in wet blurts into the cooling bath. He watched as his magic swirled and mixed into the water for several long moments before the pleasure dissipated and he relaxed, releasing his softening member. The formed magic disappeared along with the tension in his body and he sagged against the wall of the bathtub. 

He relaxed for a few long moments before becoming acutely aware of the now cold water and unplugging the drain. He rubbed his face and sighed heavily. He had miserably failed at being quiet. Maybe, if he was lucky, he'd managed to stay quiet enough that no one noticed (or at least didn't care.). He stood up and turned the showerhead on, testing the water on his hand before rinsing off. 

He stepped out of the bathtub and grabbed a towel, drying his face and skull as he walked towards the mirror. He ruffled his feathers a few times, shaking the excess water to the floor. At least he smelled good now... And his spine wasn't so sore. Right?


	9. Cheers!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fighting, injury, needles

The next three days had passed rather uneventfully for Bloom and he relished the peace and quiet during that time. He took time to get to know the others (especially Nighty) and to rest. He felt like he was finally at home.

"Have fun." Nighty said as Bloom stepped through a portal from the Void and into his home universe. "And don't forget to call us if you need help." Nighty continued. Bloom turned to him from the other side of the dimensional rift with a smile, "I will, thanks for helping me out, you're the best, Nighty." He said cheerily. Nighty smiled at him softly and Bloom felt his soul skip a beat. _Stars, he's too good for me._ Nighty closed up the portal and Bloom sighed, watching a cloud of cold air unfurl from his mouth.

He tugged the hood of his coat over his head, carefully pulling his halo down to rest over his skull underneath. He was already going to stand out enough with these clothes. But, they'd definitely be suspicious if he walked into town with the golden halo floating freely. He started down the familiar snow path as the snow crunched satisfyingly beneath his boots. 

The crisp scent of pine needles tickled his nose. Snowdin Forest had always been a beautiful place to take a walk as long as you avoided any of the nearby caves or snow holes. It was easy to stumble upon drug dealings and other unsavory things in the secrecy of the dense pine trees. It was also rumored that there was a strange religious group hiding in the depths of the deep, dark forest. Bloom rolled his eyes at the idea. The details of the group in the woods sounded less like religion and more like a group of sadistic serial killers. He hadn't known many religious types in his life, but all of the ones he had met strived for self-improvement and compassion for others. That's not to say some of their views weren't a little twisted, just saying that they weren't looking to mass murder to appease their gods.

"Hey. You. Stop." Someone ordered from a nearby guard post. Sans stopped and eyed the guard member warily. This was not what he needed right now. "I wanna see some I.D." They said.

"Why?" Bloom asked with annoyance.

"Cuz' I don't like the looks of ya'" The guard replied.

"By the law of the underground under section 23B, you are not allowed to stop me unless you have evidence of unlawful behavior. What evidence do you have?" Bloom retorted. 

The guard grumbled and leaned into the light outside of the guard station with a glare. "You gotta lot of nerve."

"And so do you, Officer Kibble badge number 3-0-2-1-5 at Snowdin post 12 at 7:24 p.m." Bloom replied.

The guard glanced down at his badge and back at Bloom. "Hmph. I've got my eye on you. Get a move on." 

Bloom walked through the wide bars of the useless gate with ease. He was lucky his hyper-focusing abilities allowed him to remember so much of his studies from his judge work. Sure, he couldn't remember everything. But, he remembered enough to be remembered as one of the underground's greatest judges. Even if he was also remembered for being weak against his brother's attacks, no one could deny the way he handled a knife had a threatening energy. 

Snowdin came into view and Bloom almost hesitated as he passed the welcome sign. People had already noticed his unusual clothing and were staring as he passed. He kept his head down as he walked down the sidewalk. He was wary of his surroundings. But, less because of his audience. He carefully listened for the approach of the heeled boots he knew so well. Boss might have been missing a leg and an arm a few days ago, but Sans knew he tended to pull strings whenever he wanted something. He would put it past his brother to already be back on his feet and prowling for revenge. 

Sans eyed his old home as he passed. His brother's car was still parked in the driveway and the driveway and sidewalk had been left unshoveled. There were a few sets of footprints in the snow along with what might be the tracks of a wheelchair. It might be unlikely that Boss was out of the house from the looks of it, but the wheelchair tracks suggested that there was a possibility. 

Bloom continued down the streets and toward Grillby's bar. He could see the familiar restaurant from down the street and his pace quickened with excitement. He heard the harsh voice of his brother echo down the street and stopped dead in his tracks. He was outside. He glanced around quickly and spotted him on a side street. He would have to pass him to get to Grillby's. Bloom swallowed dryly and began to walk as casually as possible in an attempt to not draw attention to himself. He listened carefully as he passed.

"Stop fucking shaking the whole goddamn thing you bitch!" Boss hissed.

"I'm sorry sir, I'm not trying to, the sidewalk is ju-" the nurse said before being cut off by a stream of curses from Boss.

Bloom passed the street completely while Boss was busy with his angered ramblings. Bloom sighed with relief when he was out of sight and quickly walked around the back of Grillby's. Grillby had said to knock on the back door when he got there. Bloom grinned and drummed out a short tune on the sturdy wodden door.

"Alriiiight, Alriiiight, I'm comin', I'm comin'!" Grillby called from inside.

"That's pretty fucking gay, Grillbz!" Bloom joked as Grillby unlocked the door. 

"I'll show you fucking gay, ya bassard." Grillby replied as he scooped Bloom up into a hug. Grillby kicked the door shut and carried Bloom through the back and into the bar before sitting him down on a bar stool. Bloom was instantly surrounded by hugs from Undyne, Alphys, and Toriel. 

The group quietly cried together for several minutes before Grillby broke it up, "Aww, stop ya' cryin', you're making me sick with all this sappy bullshit!" He said jokingly before pouring a tray of shots for the group. Bloom eyed the glasses nervously as he shrugged off his coat. "Don't look so fucking concerned, it's not the strong shit I normally put in shots, it's kinda fruity," Grillby reassured him. "I'm not gonna get you fucked up and then send you home by yourself." 

Grillby slid the glasses out to the group and picked up his own, "Cheers!" He said and the group echoed the statement as they clinked their glasses together. Bloom watched nervously as the others down their shots before attempting to mimic them. He swallowed the shot quickly and grimaced at the burning in his throat. It tasted like a way-too-sour gummy candy. Grillby laughed and patted his back, "atta boy!"

The group chatted for a few minutes before Grillby got their orders and walked to the back of the kitchen to get everything ready. 

"So... I passed Boss on the way here." Bloom said awkwardly.

Undyne: "Don't... Fucking call him that anymore. It's messed up." Undyne said.

"I don't know what to call him if I don't! He's not Papyrus anymore. That's not the Papyrus I grew up with! I don't fucking know what happened to him." Bloom said sorrowfully. 

Toriel stroked his head lightly with a sad smile. "I don't think any of us know what happened to him."

"Does it really matter? There's no going back from what he's done." Alphys said matter-of-factly. 

"I know I just... I'm worried that it's my fault. I know I didn't do anything wrong, but... We were tight on money... Maybe I should have-" Bloom wondered mournfully before being interrupted by Toriel.

"Sans, as someone who has mothered many, many children, I can say there is nothing that you could have done to make Papyrus any happier or healthier. He never needed or wanted for anything. You did better than most of the population of parents or guardians could even dream of doing in your situation." Toriel said reassuringly. 

"She's right." Alphys agreed.

"And let's not forget how much you gave up to make sure that asshole was taken care of," Grillby said as he came back with a tray of food and laid out the plates and drinks. "None of this shit was your fault. Papyrus is his own person. His choices and his actions are his, not yours." 

Bloom nodded in agreement, although he wasn't very convinced. Undyne patted his back before popping a french fry in her mouth. "I still can't believe your favorite food from Grillby's is soul reaper hot wings. What kind of mutant are you that you can eat that bullshit?" 

"You seem to forget that I was born in a tube in an illegal science lab." Bloom joked.

"That would actually be funny if it weren't true," Alphys said with a roll of her eyes. "I still can't believe Gaster did that. And he kept it so well hidden! I was his live-in apprentice and never found out until the huge bust they did that day." 

"Yeah, and weren't you at the head of the medical team checking Sans and Papyrus out afterward?" Undyne asked.

"No, I was just the head assistant. I did do Sans' psych test, though!" Alphys replied.

"Haha, I remember that! You looked so nervous back then." Bloom recalled.

"You would have been nervous too if you had been interrogated almost daily about something you weren't a part of!" Alphys said with an awkward giggle.

"Definitely." Bloom agreed as the others nodded in agreement. 

"But Sans, I have a question for you," Undyne said with a smirk. Grillby chuckled mischievously and poured Bloom another shot.

"Oh boy, what are you two on about?" Bloom asked before downing the shot with a grimace.

"You've been talking about this Nighty guy a lot, are you twooo...?" Undyne leaned back and gestured lewdly with her hands.

"Awh, no! Fuck off! I haven't even hardly gotten to know him yet!" Bloom said in both annoyance disbelief. 

Toriel chuckled as she sipped a glass of iced tea. "You do speak very highly of him. He sounds like a very good man."

"He is, he is..." Bloom agreed.

"But is he **HOT**?" Alphys said a bit more loudly than intended.

Bloom rubbed his face and he felt his cheeks burn hotly with embarrassment.

"OHOHOHOHO, he's hot. Come on, show us a picture!" Undyne said as she elbowed Bloom playfully. 

Bloom leaned back in his chair and pulled his phone out of his pocket with a roll of his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Here he is." He said as he flicked through the pictures on his phone before holding up the screen for the group to see. They all leaned in and peered at the phone to see a picture of Nighty sitting and reading with a stoic expression. 

"Oh shit, he's **really** fucking hot," Undyne commented before leaning back in her chair and finishing off her plate. Alphys was visibly blushing and nodded with an odd smirk before agreeing with a simple, "mmmmhhmmmm!" Toriel took another sip of tea and raised an eyebrow. Grillby gave Bloom's shoulder a few hardy pats. "He's a real looker!" Grillby stated proudly. 

Bloom opened his mouth to speak but, before he could reply, there was a harsh banging on the front door of the bar. "WE'RE FUCKING CLOSED DUMBASS1 THERE'S A SIGN ON THE DOOR. CAN'T YOU READ?" Grillby yelled angrily. The banging only grew harder and the door gave a faint crackling noise as it struggled to bar the assault. "Fucking great. We got a real genius out here." Grillby huffed as he approached the door. He began unlocking it and yelped angrily when the door was kicked into his face as soon as he undid the latch.

It was Papyrus.

The taller skeleton was still wheelchair-bound but apparently had picked up a new robotic arm somewhere between Bloom's arrival and the end of dinner. He instantly caught sight of Bloom and Bloom felt himself grow cold with fear. He damn near dropped to the ground but thought better of it as Undyne shielded him. He glanced at the phone in his hand before quickly and discreetly texting Nighty, "help. Grillby's." 

Bloom shoved his phone in his pocket and weighed his options as the others yelled back and forth. He wasn't supposed to use magic due to his current weakened state. Sunny had told him it would be more likely that he'd pass out from exhaustion than it was that he'd be able to hold his own in a fight. Bloom glanced back at the counter for anything of use as the others took turns taking jabs at Papyrus. His eyes fell on Undyne's car keys on the counter. They had a small sheath chained to them. The knife inside couldn't be but 2 or 3 inches long, but it could work. Bloom snatched up the keys and pulled it out before peeking around Undyne's shoulder.

There were only a few areas this kind of blade could do any harm to a skeleton and he had to choose wisely and quickly. Boss might be weakened right now, but he was the most highly trained and capable (former) officer the underground ever had. Bloom had the power to change that. He could change that in a moment. This was the first chance he'd gotten. He had to take advantage of it somehow. 

One of Undyne's spears ricocheted off of Papyrus' cervical vertebrae and Bloom's eyes honed in on the small gush of blood that followed. There, perfect. He just had to figure out how to get behind Papyrus' chair-

Bloom's thoughts were interrupted as a sharp crack echoed through the room and Papyrus was suddenly sailing through the air and across the street along with his wheelchair. He slammed into the brick wall of the building on the other side of the road before his wheelchair landed next to him on the ground. A group of people quickly gathered around him before the bar doors slammed shut and Nighty and Sunny inspected the room for any more dangers. 

Grillby quickly locked the bar door once more before turning to the two. "Uhm, thanks for that," Grillby said awkwardly as he looked up at the tall skeletons. Nighty nodded at Grillby before Sunny spotted Bloom and jogged up to him. "Are you alright? Was that your brother?" Sunny asked.

"I'm perfectly fine, and that was him, just uhm, thanks for coming to help. None of us were expecting him to show up..." Bloom trailed off. Sunny turned to Undyne and gently gripped her face, inspecting her cheek. 

"You need stitches." Sunny stated before pulling out his medkit. "I'm Sunny, nice to meet you," Sunny said before turning to the others. "Is anyone else hurt?" 

"I'm good, thanks," Grillby replied.

Alphys peeked out from under a table, "I-I'm okay!"

"I am alright, thank you, sir," Tori said gratefully.

Nighty stepped by the front windows of the bar and pushed the blinds to the side by a few inches and began to watch the gathering of people outside. Bloom looked down at the dagger in his hand before slipping it back into the sheath on Undyne's car keys. Sunny saw him replacing the blade and gave him a small squint before returning to Undyne's cheek.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" He asked her as he began to prep a glowing needle and suture thread. 

"I don't think so," Undyne replied. "How did you guys get here so fast? I didn't even hear Sans call you."

"He texted me." Nighty replied simply from across the room.

"Yeah, I texted him when you got in front of me." Bloom agreed.

"Still... I'm impressed." Undyne said. 

Sunny chuckled and prepped a needle before using it to numb Undyne's cheek. "I'm guessing you're Undyne?" He asked.

"That's me," Undyne confirmed. "Campfire cunt is Grillby." She joked and Grillby replied with "oh, fuck you too." "Little lizard is Alphys," Undyne continued. Alphys waved shyly. "And goat mom is Toriel," she finished. "Nice to meet the both of you!" Toriel said warmly. 

"I've heard lots of great things about all of you. Thank you for taking care of Bloom." Sunny said gratefully as he began to stitch up Undyne's face.

"Bloom?" Toriel said with confusion. 

"That's me. We all go by nicknames in the Void. A lot of our names are very similar so it'd get confusing if we tried to call each other by our real names." Bloom explained. 

"Then... What are you two's real names?" Grillby asked incredulously. 

"Sen." Nighty replied, still staring out of the window.

"San!" Sunny chirped. 

Grillby raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I think I'd be pretty fucking confused too." He remarked.

Sunny finished stitching up Undyne's face and began to pack up his medkit. "Your cheek should be healed up by tomorrow morning as long as you keep the area clean and don't pop the stitches." He said. 

"Thank you," Undyne said. 

"We should get going. People outside look pissed." Nighty said. 

Undyne, Grillby, Alphys, and Toriel gathered around Bloom for a quick hug and a few pats on the back before they said their goodbyes. Undyne and Alphys scurried out to their car as Toriel gathered up her purse. 

"Before I go, Sans. I think you should visit the place where you died sometime soon. I know the memory of that place might be bitter, but... Others have been visiting to show how much they loved you," Toriel said. "I think you'd want to see it." She waved goodbye and began walking home to the ruins. 

Grillby patted Sans back before agreeing, "You really gotta see it. A lot of people miss ya'," he said. He started stacking up the dirty dishes on the bar counter. "It was good seeing ya', little guy. Now get a move on before somebody starts more trouble!" He said with a grin before carrying the dishes back to the kitchen.

"Bye Grillbz!" Sans called back before hopping down from the barstool.

"See ya!" Grillby replied.

Bloom motioned for Nighty and Sunny to follow him to the back door and they followed as Nighty took one last glance at the crowd across the street. He caught up with Bloom and curled a tentacle protectively around his shoulder as they walked outside. Sunny opened a portal and they quickly walked through, disappearing into the Void.


	10. So... Are We a Thing?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut, scarring

Midnight became a lot closer to Bloom after that incident. Bloom could feel it in the way he acted and in the way he seemed to try to find any reason to spend any time he could with Bloom. Bloom had been very open to it and began inviting Nighty into his room to play games on his console. They bonded a lot over multiplayer RPGs specifically. It seemed to be a good way for them to both take out their frustrations as well as distract themselves with a storyline so much better than their own.

Nighty relaxed a lot during those gaming sessions. Bloom felt that he was beginning to trust him. Nighty slowly began to smile and joke as well as express his worries during those sessions. He was a completely different person from the stoic man Bloom knew outside of the protective confines of his bedroom. Sometimes the conversations grew dark, and today's topic was no different.

"You can't just blame yourself for everything!" Nighty exclaimed. "It's not right."

"Everything that has ever happened to me is my fault! And Boss, he-" Bloom lamented before having his thoughts cut short.

"If everything bad that ever happened to us was our fault, then none of us would be here right now. None of us chose to be hurt or die or just... Suffer! If there was a way we could have been happy, we would have been happy!" Nighty said with an expression full of worry.

Bloom stared at him tearfully as he searched for some kind of sign that Nighty was wrong, that he had some kind of exception in mind, any reason at all to see the world as Bloom saw it. But there wasn't. And Bloom knew he was right, but somehow he couldn't accept it.

"You have to know I'm right. Everything can't be your fault," Nighty continued. 

Bloom trembled slightly. "I just... I have to have done something really wrong... I just... Don't understand why he didn't love me anymore," Bloom hiccuped. He knew what Papyrus had done was wrong. But, he still missed the baby brother he had raised and grown up with. The innocent smile of a much-younger Papyrus haunted him. He had been so sweet and pure, but all of that had changed in a day. Some kind of switch had flipped in his charming brother's head and he had become a stranger. Someone who knew no remorse, sympathy, or compassion. The only thing Papyrus seemed to care for now was himself. 

A million emotions played over Nighty's face as Bloom watched him with fear and confusion. Nighty was normally so easy for Bloom to understand, but right now was completely unreadable. One of Nighty's tentacles reached towards Bloom's hand. The appendage hesitated slightly before wrapping around Bloom's hand comfortingly. 

"But, what if _I_ love you?" Nighty asked shakily. 

Bloom's breathing became slightly heavy as his eyes widened in shock. He stopped crying suddenly, too surprised by Nighty's confession to continue. He sniffled a few times as he tried to come up with some kind of reply. He felt his face burn with a deep blush as he avoided looking directly at Nighty's questioning gaze. Nighty was completely silent and Bloom was sure he'd fucked up his only chance with the taller skeleton and winced as he felt the other's weight shift on the couch.

Nighty leaned over Bloom and kissed him. A gentle hand stroked lightly over Bloom's cheek and he spread his legs slightly to accommodate Nighty's size as he settled his weight between them. Bloom's hands wandered up Midnight's arms. One twisted into his sweater as the other hugged the back of his neck. The kiss turned sloppy and Bloom opened his mouth to Nighty. A group of small tentacle-like tongues wrapped around his own and he shivered with arousal.

This was a stupid idea. It was wrong. It was impulsive. They'd probably regret it, but... It just felt so fucking good!

"Gods, I love you so much, I'm so sorry, please-" Nighty mumbled nonsensically into the side of Bloom's skull as he ground feverishly into the crotch of Bloom's pants. Bloom gasped shakily as he bucked in tandem with Nighty's thrusts. Bloom felt his ecto form and fill out his pants tightly and Nighty let out a strained moan in response. "Please..." Nighty begged nearly inaudibly and Bloom realized he was asking for consent.

"Yes, please, oh stars, Nighty, yes." He babbled and Nighty practically tore Bloom's pants off before pulling his own waistband down. Nighty's cock sprung free and, for a moment, Bloom was scared. There was no way that was going to fit. He pushed that fear down as Nighty leaned back down for another kiss. His hand wrapped around Bloom's dick and gave it a few slow pumps and Bloom keened as he thumbed the slit at the tip, smearing pre down his shaft. A tentacle squirmed around Bloom's thigh and sought out his entrance before pushing in slickly. The ooze dripping off of Nighty's tentacles eased the way as he began to stretch Bloom's entrance.

Bloom arched off of the couch and squirmed before Nighty rested his weight over him. "Ssshhh, ssshhh, I've got you, it's okay," Nighty cooed shakily. His free hand brushed over Bloom's cheek again and he leaned into the gentle caress. Nighty took the opportunity to pepper Bloom's cervical vertebrae with kisses, gently nibbling and sucking on the fragile bones. Bloom's grip on Midnight's sweater tightened as his neck tingled pleasantly under Nighty's attentions. Bloom could vaguely hear another wet noise join in as Nighty slicked himself up and the tentacle inside of Bloom gave a few experimental thrusts, curling, searching for-

Bloom gasped and pressed down onto the appendage as a spark of pleasure rippled through him. "Nighty! Ah!" He cried out desperately. Nighty withdrew the tentacle and Bloom shivered at the wet feeling it left behind. Midnight grabbed Bloom's hips, pulling them upwards to rest over his thighs as he tentatively nudged Bloom's entrance with the head of his cock. He looked so nervous and Bloom realized he was waiting for him to give him the go-ahead. Bloom nodded urgently and Nighty carefully pushed inside.

Bloom arched once more as Nighty pressed in slowly. He stopped at the slightest bit of resistance before rocking his hips gently, slowly working his way deeper and deeper. Bloom moaned and hooked his legs around Nighty's back. It burned, but it felt so good! His pelvis ached as Nighty damn near filled his entire pelvic cradle, his ecto stretching to accommodate Nighty's girth. And it just kept going. Nighty panted against Bloom's skull in hot, humid breaths. His skull beaded with sweat as the effort of holding back took its toll. But soon, he buried to the hilt in Bloom's ecto. Bloom looked between them in awe as Nighty's length visibly poked into his ribcage.

Nighty held still for few long moments as he allowed Bloom to adjust before beginning to thrust shallowly. Just short, quick little thrusts. Bloom's head fell back onto the couch cushions as his mouth gaped in a silent scream. Oh stars. That felt so fucking good. Nighty gripped Bloom's thighs and changed the angle of his thrust ever so slightly and this time Bloom let out a short, low whine as Nighty ground sweetly against the sensitive knot of nerves inside of him. Nightly groaned in response as Bloom clenched tightly around his member.

Their pace worked up to a fervor as louder moans spilled out of their mouth. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Bloom was embarrassed by how loud they were being. But, he couldn't care. Not when it all felt so good. He was so fucking close already. His legs tightened around Nighty's back. Oh stars. So fucking close. "Nighty! I- ah!" He gasped as a tentacle wrapped around his dick and pumped in time with Nighty's thrusts. "Me too, hah, shit, Bloom!" He gasped. Bloom felt Nighty's cock throb heavily inside of him as his thrusts became sloppy and desperate.

It was so much, it was too much! Bloom jackknifed as he dug his heels into the back of Nighty's pelvis, urging him to go deeper as white-hot pleasure ripped through him and his own cum spattered in wet blurts across his stomach. Nighty's breath hitched and he buried himself to the hilt with a sharp cry. His hips stuttered as he ground himself as deeply as he could and spilled into Bloom. Bloom tensed for several seconds as he felt his stomach bulge with the hot, sticky substance before collapsing against the couch cushions panting and sweating. Nighty flopped over him and gathered Bloom into a gentle embrace. Bloom felt Nighty's breath ghost over him as they both came down from their highs. The cock still buried in Bloom's ass slowly softened and dissipated along with Bloom's ecto. Bloom sighed contently and nuzzled his head into Nighty's chest.

They were silent. It didn't really feel like anything needed to be said. They loved each other. It might be a bad idea that they'd regret later. But, neither of them could help it. Bloom peeked up at Nighty's face. His eyes were half-lidded as he stared down at Bloom sleepily. Bloom wrapped an arm around Nighty before opening one of his wings and resting it over Midnight's shoulder. Nighty's tentacles and arms wrapped around Bloom in return.

"I love you too," Bloom said softly. Nighty squeezed him just a little tighter at the confession.

Bloom shifted slightly and suddenly became painfully aware of the mess they'd made of themselves and the couch. He looked down at his legs and spread them slightly. Strings of sticky cum webbed between his femurs and pelvis. Nighty followed his gaze and blushed slightly. "S-sorry..." He said.

"What for? It's not gonna be hard to clean up. Besides you..." Bloom trailed off slightly. "You helped me feel a lot better. Thank you."

Nighty smiled softly and released Bloom from his tentacles. Bloom stood up and gathered up his clothes before offering to wash Nighty's as well. Nighty hesitated slightly before stripping and handing his clothes to Bloom. "Shower is big enough for both of us if you wanna get it started," Bloom said as he motioned towards the bathroom door. Midnight nodded with a smile, "Thank you." 

Bloom tossed the clothes into the washing machine and closed the lid before joining Nighty in the bathroom. He was leaned against the wall as he tested the water inside the shower with his fingers. Bloom grabbed fresh towels from the cabinet and hung them on the towel rack as they waited for the water to warm up. Nighty glanced down at Bloom and back at the shower before stepping into it. "You think the others heard us?" He asked nervously. Bloom bit his lip at the realization before following Midnight into the shower. "Probably..." he replied. Nighty groaned quietly, "We are never gonna hear the end of it."

"Well, I don't think Sneak and Fitti have room to talk since they couldn't keep it down the first night I was here. At least we did it while people weren't trying to sleep." Bloom commented as he squirted some soap into his hands and lathered his wings. 

"None of them have room to talk. But, they will anyway." Nighty replied before cleaning his face with a soapy washcloth. 

Bloomed rinsed his wings and reflexively shook his feathers a few times and Nighty laughed as water splashed over him. "It tickles, I'm so sorry!" Bloom apologized with a giggle before sudsing up his own washcloth. 

"It's fine, don't worry about it." Nighty reassured him before scritching the joint of one of Bloom's wings. "It's kinda cute."

Bloom blushed and flicked Nighty with his washcloth gently before beginning to wash his skull and neck. Nighty splashed a small amount of water on him in retaliation and they both giggled. The rest of the shower passed rather uneventfully as the two joked around and lazily groped each other before they rinsed off. Bloom got out of the shower first and began toweling off as Nighty followed.

Bloom tossed the towel in the laundry hamper before leaning over the counter and pulling a cotton swab out of a jar. He soaked it in water and began sweeping it inside the cracks of his face and the insides of his eyelids and nasal aperture. Nighty reached for the jar but his hand froze halfway before pulling back and Bloom looked at him with confusion. Nighty stared down at the back of Bloom's ribcage and he traced a long, deep gouge with a feather-light touch. He looked so... Worried.

"That happened a long time ago, it doesn't hurt much anymore," Bloom said reassuringly. 

"But it still hurts." Not a question, a statement.

"Yeah, they all hurt a little bit. But, it's fine." Bloom said as he soaked another cotton swab and continued cleaning his skull. Nighty didn't seem satisfied with his answer but dismissed the subject regardless. He picked up a cotton swab and began cleaning the inside of his eyelids. 

"I'm going to be honest, I don't know what Sunny is going to do or say. I've never dated anyone before. He's not necessarily protective or... At least he wasn't when it mattered." Nighty said. Bloom glanced sideways at Nighty. A look of regret and guilt passed over Midnight's face before he continued. "Just... If he gets to be too much, let me know, I'll talk to him."

"Thank you, I appreciate it," Bloom replied before tossing the used cotton swabs in the trash. He grabbed a bottle of wing oil out of a drawer and led Nighty back to the bedroom. He froze as he spotted the couch and the lack of cum stains on it. "Who?..." Bloom trailed off. His bedroom door was still locked, who cleaned it up?

"The house cleans itself so you don't have to dust or vacuum or anything unless you just feel like it." He explained before sitting on the couch. "Usually just takes 30 minutes while you leave the room for a bit."

"That's... Neat." Bloom said.

"Want some help with that?" Nighty said as he pointed at the bottle of wing oil in Bloom's hand. 

"Yes, please!" Bloom smiled as he sat down on the floor in front of Nighty. Nighty spread a few drops of the oil on his hands before handing the bottle to Bloom. Nighty began to massage the oil into the tops of Bloom's wings as Bloom worked over the bottom feathers. 

There was only silence for several minutes as the two plucked loose feathers and straightened others. Nighty seemed to be making an effort to massage the sore joints of Bloom's wings as he worked and Bloom purred in gratitude. Nighty smiled at the low rumbling as he kneaded the pollex and second digit of Bloom's wings.

"So... Are we, uhm." Bloom started to ask.

"A thing?" Nighty finished.

Bloom swallowed nervously nodded and Nighty paused for a moment before continuing to work his thumbs into Bloom's wing joints.

"I think so, as long as you're okay with it..." He said shyly.

Bloom looked up at him with a warm grin, "Yeah, I'd love that."


	11. You and Me, They and Them

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Self harm mention, suicide mention, pedophilia mention, rape mention, pregnancy mention, child abuse mention, murder mention, major character death mention
> 
> This is a backstory chapter, so it gets pretty intense.

Bloom sighed heavily as he melted down into Midnight's lap. Nighty paused for a moment and stroked the top of Bloom's head before returning to reading the book. The two had been inseparable for days since they confessed their love for each other. They had settled into a daily rhythm where most time was spent together unless specified by one or the other. Sometimes, they just needed space. But, more often than not, Bloom now joined in on Nighty's reading sessions. Nighty's choice of subjects varied greatly but today he'd made an offer to Bloom and he had accepted excitedly. Maybe, a little bit too excitedly.

"Can you say it?" Nighty asked. He pointed to a line of text in the book. It was a book on how to read, write, and speak Nighty's first language. Bloom had been all too enthusiastic to learn until he realized that this language was even harder to understand than English. The rules of letters, grammar, and inflection differed greatly and he was struggling to wrap his head around it.

"Uhhhmmmm... 'My name is Bloom."Bloom said in his best attempt at mimicking the language. Nighty chuckled slightly and Bloom elbowed him playfully.

"You speak like you have marbles under your tongue!" Nighty giggled. 

"Uuugh, I'm trying!" Bloom groaned as he flopped his head back onto Nighty's shoulder.

"You're doing fine, you just need to practice." Nighty reassured him before planting a kiss on Bloom's skull. "What about this one?" He gestured at another line.

"....Nice to.... met you," Bloom struggled out.

"Close, you said 'met' instead of 'meet'." Nighty pointed out. "'Met' is ' _Shii_ ' and 'meet' is ' _Shiin_ " he reminded Bloom. 

Bloom nodded and opened his mouth to repeat the corrected sentence before he noticed Sunny looming over him. He closed his mouth with a gulp as Sunny squinted down at him. Nighty had insisted that his brother was overjoyed with the two's new relationship. But, Bloom couldn't shake the feeling that there was burning anger behind Sunny's bright eyes and glowing smile. He unconsciously shrunk back into Nighty's lap as his tail tucked between his legs.

"How are you feeling?" Sunny asked Bloom with far too much enthusiasm in his voice. His usually warm smile appeared so painted-on. 

"I feel really good... Thank you for your help, Sunny!" Bloom replied nervously. He would give anything for Sunny to at least take two steps back right now. He felt so small compared to the taller skeleton and his unnatural grin only ground that into his skull. Sunny had been a source of comfort when he first arrived but now the mere sight of him triggered Bloom's fight or flight response. Bloom relaxed slightly as Nighty hugged him and squeezed him soothingly. 

Sunny simply stared back with a creepy grin that reminded Bloom of a Glasgow smile. He shivered at the thought and pressed back into Nighty in an attempt to flee the intrusive thought. He'd seen one of those before and the image still haunted him. He'd give _anything_ for Sunny to leave the room at this point. "I'm glad! Let me know if you need anything!" Sunny chirped eerily before leaving to sit on the couch.

_There's no way Nighty didn't see it that time, right? Right???_ He thought anxiously to himself as he looked up at Midnight. 

Midnight shifted uncomfortably in his seat and now looked very obviously disturbed. "Hey Bloom, wanna pick this back up later? I kind of want to finish that quest we were on." Nighty asked. Bloom nodded vigorously in agreement and Nighty scooped him up in one arm. "I hope you and Cozy enjoy your date today, Sunny." He called over his shoulder as he carried Bloom up the stairs.

"We will." Sunny replied flatly. Nighty glanced down at Bloom with a look of concern before swinging open the door of Bloom's bedroom and walked inside. He closed the door gently and hesitated before he turned away. He made a point to lock the door this time. 

"Okay, maybe you're right, Sunny is acting... Weird." He said.

"He's scaring me," Bloom replied with a shaky sigh of relief. At least in his bedroom, he felt safe.

Nighty shifted Bloom in his grasp and pressed the side of his skull to his rib cage. Bloom nuzzled into Nighty's ribs as he sat down and laid a weighted blanket over Bloom's shoulders. Bloom listened to the steady, unfaltering thump of Nighty's soul beat. "Just breathe for a sec. You got really worked up in there..." Nighty cooed before giving Bloom a gentle squeeze. Bloom sighed and took a few deep, slow breaths through his nasal aperture. Nighty breathed in unison as if to emphasize the action. In. Hold. Out. Hold. In. 1, 2. 1, 2. 1, 2. 1, 2. 1, 2. Square breaths.

"Do you think I made him angry or do you think he just doesn't like me?" Bloom asked.

"I don't think so? I don't know honestly. I've never seen him this way before. I'd say he's just being protective but... That's just not like him. Not with me." Nighty trailed off. Bloom could sense the sorrow and resentfulness in his voice. Bloom pondered those emotions for a moment.

"You had said that... Sunny wasn't there for you when it mattered most. I don't mean to intrude but... What happened?" Bloom asked with concern.

Nighty looked surprised at Bloom for a moment before his face relaxed and he recalled their childhood. He inhaled deeply through his nasal aperture before leaning back against the couch. "Remember... How I said the people in my village would treat us differently? That they'll judge you for the slightest imperfection?" Nighty asked.

Bloom took the drawstring of Nighty's hoodie in his hand and began to gently play with it as he looked up at his lover. "Yeah?"

Nighty sighed. He seemed reluctant. "Believe it or not, when Sunny and I were born, we were identical twins. Our appearances changed a lot when we came to the Void. But, before then, the only difference we had is that I had a large birthmark over... Well, I still have it. Over this eye." He pointed at his right eye, dripping with ooze. "I just. Keep it hidden. Because... Well, you understand." He continued. 

"We were born into a poor family. Our parents hated us. They had been living fairly comfortably until they had two more mouths to feed. But, with Sunny and I added to the mix, they could barely keep food on the table." Nighty explained. "Sunny was considered particularly beautiful so he kind of got everything just... Handed to him on a silver platter. People would gift him clothes and food when he walked down the street, probably hoping to win him over as their lover..." Nighty said before sighing bitterly. "But because I had a birthmark, I was treated... Badly. I worked for everything I had. I supported the family in any way I could. And there were times when... When the other villagers would take turns beating me up or really..." he swallowed dryly. "Anything that amused them at that time." 

Bloom winced at that statement and wiped away one of Nighty's tears as it fell. He cradled Nighty's cheek in his hand tenderly and Midnight began to sob as he rested his head in Bloom's hand. "I figured out later that Sunny would make friends or even date the people that were hurting me. There were times when he... Watched. But I couldn't do anything. I couldn't say anything. Because it'd just make it worse for me." His lip trembled. 

"I always loved my brother, don't get me wrong. I just. I don't think he loves me. I don't think he cares about me. He's nice, sure. But, he doesn't care." Nighty sobbed quietly. Bloom shifted and stood on his knees before hugging an arm around Midnight's head and guiding him to cry into Bloom's shoulder. Nighty wailed brokenly, quietly into Bloom's shoulder as he hugged around Bloom's waist. He let out a few shaking cries before continuing.

"When we died, I could have lived. But, I tried to save him. Our parents tried to burn the house down with him inside. Probably for the insurance money. I heard him screaming and ran inside. But the roof collapsed and we couldn't get out, Nighty continued. "I held him the whole time. And when we woke up, he never thanked me. He never apologized. He never asked if I was okay..." Nighty said mournfully. "He just went on like nothing happened. Like it didn't matter. He kept seeing the same friends and doing the same things. None of it mattered to him..." Nighty finished. 

Bloom felt anger burning in his soul, eating him up inside, blurring his vision. He held Nighty just a little tighter as he continued to cry. This explained... So many things. He felt a wave of protectiveness and possessiveness wash over him. No one was going to hurt Nighty like that again. _HIS_ Nighty. His _BEAUTIFUL_ , sweet, selfless, caring Nighty. Not him. Not Sunny. Not anyone... Nighty hiccuped a few times as he further buried himself in Bloom's shoulder and Bloom's face softened.

"I guess both of us have some pretty shitty brothers," Bloom mumbled. Nighty scoffed lightly at the comment.

"Yours is definitely way worse than Sunny, though." He stated with a sniffle. "You never actually told me the whole story... I showed you mine, now you show me yours." He joked half-heartedly. Bloom took in a deep breath through his nasal aperture. 

"Boss and I-" Bloom started before Nighty nudged him. "Papyrus and I-" Bloom corrected himself before continuing, "were born in a secret and, well, illegal part of the royal science labs. We were born asexually in test tubes so we didn't have a mom. And our dad didn't mean to make kids... He was trying to just make some empty bodies. Something he could cram a dying monster's soul into or something. It's my understanding that he and Alphys were trying to come up with a way to cheat death because the population was so low at the time. Anyway, that's not the point. The point is that since we were failed experiments, he used us as lab rats." Bloom explained.

"I was about 4 years old when Bo- er, uhm, Papyrus was born. Dad didn't want to waste nurses on him so I had to bottle feed him and stuff. I raised him from the very beginning. Dad would... Use him as a tool to manipulate me into cooperation during experiments. He'd threaten to do stuff to him instead of me to make me behave. I was always trying to find ways to be the subject of the latest experiment so Papyrus wouldn't be hurt. That's... How my left eye light is blind," He continued.

"Flash forward to when I was 16 and Papyrus was 12. Someone tipped off the police about the secret lab and we got busted out and dropped off at an orphanage. The place was scummy. The headmaster was a pedo, the nurses weren't much better, just shitty all around. The headmaster... Did what pedos do and I ended up pregnant. High tailed it out of there and took Papyrus with me." Bloom said before pausing as Nighty shifted in his seat and hugged Bloom tighter.

"I did anything I had to do to keep Papyrus happy and CPS off my back. Hid the pregnancy. Took odd jobs. Yada-yada-yada. Ended up losing the pregnancy because of... Something I don't want to talk about." Bloom sniffed and choked back a few tears. Nighty stroked the back of Bloom's ribcage soothingly before Bloom began to speak once more. 

"I kind of threw myself completely into taking care of Papyrus after that. I think the last thing I remember doing for myself was my transition surgery. I just. There was a point where I realized if I didn't transition then I wasn't gonna be around for Papyrus much longer cuz' I just... Couldn't stand to look at myself." Bloom said shyly. He paused nervously for a moment before realizing Nighty wasn't disgusted by the revelation. He scolded himself inwardly. Of course, Nighty wouldn't see him differently for being himself!

"I sold everything I had except the clothes on my back and my mattress to pay for Papyrus'a training armor. And things kinda got better for a bit. Or at least, it was easier to afford things. But, one day he came home and it was like a switch had flipped. He wasn't... Papyrus anymore. He slammed me into a wall and put some kind of weird... Shock collar around my neck. It had a tracker and shit in it. He had to of built it himself. And from there it just got... so fucking bad." Bloom recalled as tears streamed down his face. Nighty rocked him gently in his arms.

"I wasn't allowed to see my friends. I wasn't allowed to talk. I wasn't allowed to get food or water from the kitchen, wasn't allowed to leave a certain area, wasn't allowed to... Even walk... Or be a person. Hell, one time he shocked the hell out of me because he heard I'd been eating garbage cuz' I was fucking starving!" Bloom cried. 

"And just... All I wanted was for him to love me. So I tried to do everything he said. I tried to be good, or at least what he considered good. But, it got impossible as time went on. I started passing out in the snow. From exhaustion. And hunger. And whatever else. And he'd punish me for that too as if I'd want to freeze to death in my sleep. And I got really delusional at points, especially at the end." Bloom said shakily.

"He told me to kill myself. A lot. Every day. And I got so fucking out of it at the end that I thought, oh! If I do that then maybe he'll love me again, ya know? But. Well. Obviously, there's nothing left of you to love when you're dead. At least, not usually." Bloom swallowed dryly. "So I managed to finish all my chores for one day and I thought I'd do it. As like, extra credit. A special surprise or something. Crawled into the back of Waterfall and laid down on some echo flowers. Seemed like a good place to die." Bloom paused as he sniffled and sagged into Nighty's embrace.

"I bled myself out. It was really slow. I texted him what I was doing and he texted back saying for me to come home and stop being such an 'attention whore'. When he didn't see me moving on his tracker thing he just started shocking the shit out of me repeatedly. Made it go faster. He was convinced for at least an hour I think that I was just putting on some kind of show. He didn't show up for a long time. And when he did, he got pissed and started throwing me around the walls of the caves. He kept shouting that he loved me and he was sorry but around the time I think he realized it was too late and I was actually dying he switched back again and started repeatedly slamming me just... As fucking hard as he could into the cave wall. Over and over. Saying he hated me. Undyne must have heard what was going on from her house and she showed up. Blind sighted him. Knocked him out. She held me when I was dying. She... Made me promise that if I woke up and remembered that. That I'd.... Never let anyone hurt me like that again." Bloom said shakily. 

The two held each other in silence as their tears slowed to a stop once more. They breathed in deeply in time with each other. Bloom felt strangely in sync with Midnight. It was like... Meeting your soul mate. Like Nighty just knew how he felt and everything he'd ever thought just in the way he heard Bloom breathe. Their backgrounds were so different yet their stories were so similar. Their brothers had betrayed them. Their brothers had driven them into their deaths. And their brothers showed no remorse for the pain they had caused. They were so different. Yet, they were the same. A deep feeling of understanding washed over Bloom. They sighed in unison as they relaxed into each other's arms.

"We aren't that different from each other, I guess," Bloom stated.

"I guess not," Nighty agreed. 

"I kind of want to kick your brother's ass on a personal level now, though," Bloom said irritably.

"Probably not the best idea, considering he's the doctor of the house, but uhm, we could totally go throw some bricks through your brother's windows some time." Nighty joked. 

Bloom laughed bitterly. "That does kind of sound like fun."

The two sniffled quietly as they held each other. Bloom rested his head on Nighty's ribcage with a soft *clack*. "We gotta do something or we're just gonna sit here and be miserable." Bloom chuckled nervously.

Nighty rested his chin on Bloom's halo with a soft hum. "Maybe it would actually be nice to play Battle Legends for a bit." Nighty said.

Bloom smiled and leaned back before picking up the TV remote. "That does sound nice right now." He said as he pressed the 'on' button.


	12. Bake Date!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No tags for this chapter! Let me know if you think it needs some!

Bloom and Nighty flopped down on the couch in Bloom's room with a groan. Sunny had become more and more unreasonable lately and the tensions between the three had come to a head only minutes before in the living room. Sunny had shown his true colors and left everyone in shock, especially Midnight and poor Cozy. 

Bloom sighed heavily before Nighty passed him his fluffy bunny plushie and laid a weighted blanket over the two of them. Bloom hugged the plushie tightly and began to fiddle with one of its floppy ears as he rubbed the soft fabric between his fingers. "Do you think Cozy is okay? I don't think I've seen anyone look so heartbroken before..." Bloom asked with worry.

"Probably not. They were together for over a century..." Nighty replied. 

"I don't blame Cozy for breaking it off after that. I can't believe Sunny just... He was so serious about it too! It was bad enough that he just... Stood by when everything happened when you were kids but... The fact that he supported it? And for the same reasons? It's... Disgusting. Shallow..." Bloom scoffed. 

Nighty sniffled quietly and Bloom scooted closer to him to offer comfort. Nighty accepted it without a word and hugged Bloom snugly before relaxing slightly. "I really thought this would hurt more but... At this point, I just regret wasting my time on him. He was never going to love me no matter what I did." Nighty said resentfully. Bloom gazed up at him with sympathy. Nighty smiled down at him in return and began petting his head. "At least I've got you. Sometimes I wonder if you even know what hate is." Nighty chuckled.

"Oh, your brother gave me an idea, I think," Bloom replied with annoyance. Nighty giggled and patted Bloom's head before gathering him up into his arms. Bloom smiled at him lovingly before snuggling into the warm embrace. The two were quiet for several minutes as they simply enjoyed each other's company before Bloom broke the silence. "I am really worried about Cozy, though. I don't want him to feel lonely. Maybe we could bake him some sweets and invite him to hang out with us sometime?" Bloom pondered. 

"I think he'd like that." Nighty replied. "What should we make him?" He asked.

"I did hear him say the other day that he missed these honey cakes a cafe had in his home town. I know how to make those. They might not be the same, but they'd be good." Bloom said.

Nighty smiled warmly and nodded in agreement, "Yeah, he loves those. You'll have to teach me how to make them, though." Nighty grinned.

"So it's a bake date!" Bloom joked before hopping out of Midnight's lap.

"It's a bake date!" Nighty replied cheerfully as he followed Bloom downstairs. 

Sunny was nowhere to be seen. _Good. We don't need assholes like that around._ Bloom thought to himself as he skittered into the pantry. He began picking up ingredients before handing some off to Nighty's tentacles as his hands became full. 

"So, where did you learn to bake anyway? Is that one of those odd jobs you took?" Nighty asked as he followed Bloom into the kitchen.

"It was, but I also learned a lot from Tori! She taught me a lot of basic life skill type stuff since I never really had a parent around to do it for me." Bloom explained. "Her pies are the best, though. I'm not very good at those. The pie crust always ends up messed up when I do it." Bloom arranged the ingredients on the counter before stirring a packet of yeast into a bowl of milk. 

"Do we need a mixer, orrrr?" Nighty asked as he watched Bloom breeze through the ingredients and toss them into a bowl. 

"I don't... Actually know how to use one. Tori taught me how to do everything by hand since I couldn't afford fancy kitchen shit." Bloom replied awkwardly.

Nighty chuckled before replying, "Yen's grandmother would love you. She doesn't think there's a lot of pride in making something if you didn't do all the work yourself. She thinks mixers are _cheating_." he recalled with amusement. "I think Yen said her age was getting to her, the last I heard. Dementia or something." Nighty finished. 

Bloom tapped a measuring cup on the side of a bowl as he tipped out a cup of flour. "She sounds really sweet! I guess Yen's family has a long line of cooks, huh?" Bloom commented. 

"Passion for cooking definitely runs in the family. But, uhm, what is this?" Nighty asked as he pointed to the now frothing bowl of yeast.

"Yeast and milk. Just to make the dough rise and stuff." Bloom said as he stirred the ingredients in the other bowl.

"It's... foaming?" Nighty commented with confusion.

"Yeast is like... A bunch of little tiny living organisms? They eat sugar and starch so people normally dump yeast in either warm milk or warm water mixed with sugar. They release air when they feed which is what makes the bread rise and makes little pockets of air in the dough. Makes it more fluffy and less dense." Bloom elaborated. He smiled as Nighty closely inspected the bowl.

"Weird." Nighty said before Bloom continued.

"I've got this mixed. We just have to add the yeast and start kneading it before we add the butter." Bloom said. Nighty passed the bowl of yeast to him before watching him mix the contents into the other bowl. Bloom floured a couple of spots on the counter before turning out the dough in halves. "Wanna try?" Bloom asked before dusting his hands with flour. Nighty smiled seemingly with amusement before dusting his own hands and watching as Bloom began to work the dough. Bloom started slowly at first before working up to a steady rhythym as Nighty seemed to catch on. 

Nighty huffed before giggling as Bloom gestured for him to stop and covered the lumps of dough with damp towels. "I think I'd rather figure out how to use a mixer." He joked before turning on the tap and washing his hands. Bloom laughed before soaping up his hands as the two shared the sink.

"It's not that hard!" Bloom replied.

"Or maybe you just don't know any better." Nighty said. 

"Maybe you're right." Bloom laughed. "Want to help me make the filling while the dough rises?" 

"As long as it doesn't involve sweating again." Nighty joked. Bloom playfully bumped him with his hip and Nighty nudged him back in return. They chuckled as Fitti skipped down the stairs and past the counter before leaning on the end by the sink.

"We can practically smell the gay from upstairs," Fitti said jokingly. Nighty and Bloom laughed before she continued. "But, uhm, Sneak and I heard the fight from upstairs earlier. You good, Nighty?" Fitti asked with concern.

"It stings but. Somehow I'm not surprised. I'm more worried about Cozy. Has he said anything to you since he kicked Sunny out of his bedroom?" Nighty asked with concern.

"No, he's just been crying in his room. I feel so bad for him. He sounds so heartbroken..." Fitti trailed off before continuing. "I'm thinking about inviting him to visit some friends and family with me tomorrow. We're having a family meet-up and Mama said I could bring him along. Do you think he'd like that?" Fitti asked.

"I think he'd love that! You know him, he's always happy to see family and friends get together. That's kind of his whole thing, isn't it?" Nighty asked.

"God of friendship was the title I think," Fitti said. "Or something like that. I think he goes well beyond friendship. I haven't seen a broken family or relationship he couldn't stitch back together. It's just so unfair that it had to be his that he couldn't fix..." 

Nighty sighed and Bloom stared up at him with a soft, knowing sadness. It always seemed like the ones that brought the most people together were also always the loneliest. At least, that had seemed to be the case with Toriel. 

"Cozy is too sweet, I know he'll find someone worth his time eventually. He has all the time in the multiverse to find them." Nighty said. Bloom smiled optimistically at the idea and Nighty patted his head as he glanced down at him. Bloom began to gather the ingredients for the honey filling as Fitti and Nighty continued to talk. 

"That's true. It's just sad he has to be lonely in the meantime. They were together for so long..." Fitti said in disbelief. "I still can't believe Sunny would think about you that way after all you did for him... And, for the record, I think you're hot as fuck." Fitti finished.

"Isn't he? Nighty is fucking gorgeous!" Bloom exclaimed as he mixed the ingredients in a pot.

Nighty blushed deeply and grinned shyly, "Thank you..." Nighty said. Bloom smiled at him before gently rubbing the back of his spine. Nighty's tentacles curled around him and pulled him to Nighty's side in return. Bloom leaned his head against Nighty's side and stared up at him adoringly. Fitti chuckled warmly at the two of them.

"You're so cute together," She said before pausing and glancing around the room and calling upstairs. "Honey? Are you coming?" 

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Sneak said tiredly from upstairs. He plodded downstairs and reluctantly joined Fitti by the counter. He looked down at Bloom before glancing at Fitti, who nodded in Bloom's direction. Sneak sighed heavily before staring off into the corner of the room. "I'm sorry for being a dick. It was really stupid. I didn't read the message from the Void about you until yesterday and uhm... I really hope I didn't scare you too much. Thank you for looking out for Fitti." He said quietly. 

Bloom stared at Sneak's face for a few moments as he searched for any sign of dishonesty. But, as far as he could tell, Sneak's intentions were innocent. He pondered the apology for a moment before smiling. "It's okay, thank you for apologizing. Maybe next time we'll all know to be calmer about it." Bloom paused before continuing. "Is your arm okay?" He asked. Sneak nodded awkwardly in agreement. "I'm glad, sorry for hurting you," Bloom said.

Sneak smiled awkwardly before looking down at the floor. He clearly wasn't very mature, but Bloom hoped he at least meant well. If he didn't, well... Bloom would only let him go so far and give him only a few chances. He had a promise to keep, after all. Fitti was practically glowing with happiness and leaped into Sneak's arms for a hug. Sneak caught her with a grunt before smiling warmly. That was the happiest Bloom had seen Sneak so far. He had a lot to learn but Bloom had high hopes for him. 

Fitti and Sneak excused themselves and left the Void to visit friends before Bloom turned back to Nighty. "And now to make the filling!" He chirped as he turned to the pot on the stove. Nighty chuckled and followed him to the stovetop before curling a tentacle around the back of Bloom's pelvis.

"I can show you how to make a different kind of filling~" Cloak commented from the other side of the counter.

A chunk of softened butter and a wet slap joined Cloak's smug face shortly after.


	13. I’ve Got a Bone to Pick with You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Abuse mention, suicide mention, injury, fighting, blood

Cozy had perked up slightly when Bloom and Nighty visited his room. He had obviously been crying for quite a while. His eyes were so, so tired and his small frame appeared weak as he clutched a small teddy bear. He thanked Bloom and Nighty for the honey cakes before excusing himself to take a nap in the dark confines of his room. The crying had stopped after that.

Later, Cozy knocked on Bloom's door and asked for company in the kitchen while he cooked dinner. "I just really don't want to be alone if he comes downstairs," Cozy said shakily.

Bloom hugged him and gave him a gentle squeeze. "I'm on my way. I just want to grab some socks! My feet are cold." Bloom said. Cozy hugged him back for a moment before they broke apart.

"I'll go get things started. Thank you, Bloom." Cozy smiled weakly before walking downstairs.

Bloom jogged into his closet and snatched up a pair of socks. "I'm going downstairs to hang out with Cozy in the kitchen! Can we pick back up later?" Bloom asked as he tugged his socks on.

"Of course! I'm coming with you, though. Even if I just sit in the living room. I don't feel safe leaving you two alone down there. I don't know what Sunny is gonna do." Nighty said as he turned off the gaming console. "Zero texted me earlier and said he could hear Sunny 'plotting something'. He wouldn't tell me what he heard. He just said not to let Sunny give you any medicine, food, or drinks."

"That's... Concerning." Bloom said nervously. 

"Yeah, I'm with you on that. I don't know a lot about medicine but I know enough to give you your injections. Void switched the supply over to me. I'm the only one who knows where your syringes are right now and I'm keeping it that way." Nighty reassured him. "Just try not to get hurt. If the Void gives you your first assignment before we figure this out, I'll come with you and make sure you don't get hurt."

"Thank you..." Bloom said before grabbing the doorknob. "I don't want you hurt either, though..." 

"I won't be. I promise." Nighty replied as Bloom opened the door. Bloom wasn't entirely convinced but he trusted Nighty anyway. Nighty grabbed his shoulder and kneeled next to him. "Bloom. I promise. I'm not gonna let anything happen to either of us. We're gonna be okay. Okay?" 

Bloom hesitated before smiling softly. "Okay, I trust you," Bloom said. Nighty hugged him comfortingly and scooped him up in his arms. Bloom giggled as Nighty kissed his neck playfully and began carrying him downstairs. He could trust him. This wasn't like his home dimension. This place was safe. He could trust Nighty. 

Nighty put Bloom down in the kitchen and gave Cozy a small wave before leaving to sit in the living room. Cozy smiled at him and waved back before turning to Bloom. "I'm so happy to see you two together. I don't think I've seen him smile until he met you!" He said cheerily. He still looked so tired, but the feeling of love Bloom always felt around him still radiated strongly. 

"This is probably a bit late to ask but do you have any food allergies?" Cozy asked as he began walking into the pantry. 

"I don't, Only allergy I have is to a medication," Bloom replied before Cozy began to pick up ingredients and pass some off to Bloom. "Does anyone else have food allergies?" 

"Cloak is allergic to peanuts and Fitti is allergic to raspberries." Cozy replied. "You should have seen how confused Cloak was when he found that out. He just thought people were willing to suffer for french fries and PB&J sandwiches." Bloom wheezed with laughter and Cozy giggled quietly. "I normally don't talk unkindly of people, but Cloak isn't... The sharpest tool in the shed." Bloom wheezed harder and Cozy patted his back before walking into the kitchen. Bloom followed and sat the ingredients down on the counter. 

"He asked me yesterday if he could hug me since he took a shower, but he still wreaked. I asked him if he used soap. He just stomped away like a grumpy teenager!" Bloom laughed. Cozy leaned on the counter as his ribs heaved with laughter. 

"He didn't even use soap?" Cozy asked with amusement before beginning to prepare flour and seasoning in a shallow dish.

"I guess not! I'm not surprised considering the state of... Well, his _everything_ " Bloom joked. 

"He certainly has a lot learn and seemingly no intention to learn it. I had high hopes for him for a long time, but... Well, I've had a few centuries to be disappointed." He said before whisking a few eggs in a bowl. "Maybe he will change one day! I just don't see it happening at this point. But, I didn't really expect to ever see Nighty smile either, so we'll see what happens!" Cozy said optimistically. 

"Yeah, we'll see!" Bloom said before he felt eerie energy settle over the room. Uh-oh. 

"Sunny, get out of the kitchen." Nighty admonished from the living room. 

Bloom's eyes darted to the taller skeleton instantly and he purposefully blocked the bath between Cozy and Sunny. "No, I'm talking to Cozy." Sunny retorted. He grabbed Bloom's shoulder before shoving him out of the way. Bloom's bones clattered against the counter uselessly and, for a moment, he froze and sunk to the ground. A memory flashed violently through his mind.

_"USELESS FUCKING MUTT! I SHOULD HAVE LEFT YOU TO FREEZE YOU LAZY PIECE OF SHIT!"_

_Pain laced through his bones as his frostbitten body was dropped, clothes and all, into a bathtub filled with scalding hot water. He cried out weakly. It felt like being dropped into the lava of hot lands itself. The scent of blood and dust filled his senses._

_Boss slapped him._

_STOP SLEEPING1 I'M SICK OF YOU SITTING AROUND ON YOUR ASS!"_

A flash of unexplained anger rushed through Bloom's body and a deep, rattling growl came thundering out of his clenched teeth. 

"Let go of me! I told you! It's over! I don't want to talk to you!" Cozy shouted. Those cries snapped something in Bloom and he leaped onto Sunny's spine as his claws dug into the fabric of his tunic. Sunny released Cozy with a shriek before attempting to fight off Bloom. But Bloom held steady as his claws scrabbled for a weak point. The razor-sharp tips caught on the edge of Sunny's sternum through his tunic before Bloom dug his sharpened phalanges between the bone and Sunny's ribs. He shoved the tips of his claws into the softened bone inside before pressing them deep into the sensitive marrow and nerves. Sunny screeched with pain as he tried desperately to detach Bloom from the area.

"Bloom! Stop! It's okay! Let go!" Nighty yelled as he firmly grabbed Bloom's wrist and unhooked his finger's from the inside of Sunny's sternum. He pulled Bloom away and passed him off into his tentacles before dragging Sunny out of the kitchen with his hands. Sunny kicked and screamed angrily as Nighty drug him out by his collar bones. Bloom curled up into a ball inside the safety and comfort of Midnight's tentacles. He panted uselessly as the scent of blood filled his senses once more.

_"STOP FUCKING CRYING! IT'S DISGUSTING!"_

"Bloom!"

_WHY DON'T YOU JUST KILL YOURSELF IF IT'S SO BAD? NO ONE IS GOING TO MISS YOU! PATHETIC WHELP!"_

" **Bloom! Honey!** "

Bloom gasped and came to his senses. Cozy pulled his hands away from his face and began to wipe the blood off Bloom's phalanges with a damp towel. Nighty was clutching Bloom to his chest firmly as he pressed Bloom's skull to his ribcage. The usual soft, steady thump of Midnight's soul slowly began to bring him back to reality. Back to the present. Back to the Void. He felt dazed. Cozy's wiped his face with a fresh cloth and the smell of blood faded away. Loud grumbling and cussing echoed down the stairs. Sunny was gone.

"Are you okay? You weren't really... With us there for a bit." Nighty said. Bloom blinked slowly as he stared at the two blood-soaked rags Cozy had placed in a bowl of water. The water was tinged with a deep pink hue as the blood from the cloths seeped out. He couldn't form clear words in his mind, much less a cohesive sentence. His mind felt as if it were suspended in a thick gel. Floating senselessly in a thick fog as it sluggishly tried to push through the thick fluid surrounding it. He stared up at Nighty in confusion and Nighty sighed deeply. "I think he's disassociating or something. I need to get one of those catnip tablets in him." Nighty said. "I think I still have some extras... Yeah, here we go." Nighty said before pulling a small pouch out of his pocket. He held up one of the tablets in front of Bloom's empty gaze before pressing the tablet to his teeth.

Bloom sniffed the tablet a few times before taking it into his mouth and chewing absentmindedly. It was powdery and kind of tasted like strawberry milk. He relaxed fully into Nighty's lap as the medicine began to take hold. The remaining anxiety fizzled out in his mind and he felt a wave of numbness pass over him. He curled his tail around his feet and snuggled into Nighty's arms. He felt so sleepy now. A deep purr rumbled out of his chest and Nighty sighed a breath of relief. 

"I'll come sit with you in the kitchen. I don't want to leave either of you alone down here after that." Nighty said as he stood up. He grabbed a dining room chair with a tentacle and began dragging it into the kitchen as Cozy followed. 

"Do you think he's alright? He's been so quiet and gentle this whole time. I wasn't expecting him to lash out like that..." Cozy asked with worry. He glanced over the ingredients on the counter, seemingly checking for blood, before continuing where he left off.

"I don't know. I know Sunny mentioned before that he has PTSD. But, he's also said some... Bad things about where he came from." Nighty said.

"Such as?" Cozy asked before beginning to bread a piece of chicken.

Nighty took in a deep breath. He seemed to be trying to find the best way to word his reply. "Bloom said it was kind of a kill or be killed situation. People used your weaknesses to their advantage. They were always looking for a way to bring you down. At least, that's what he told me. I thought he was just paranoid until Sunny and I went to help him that time... We passed at least 3 separate fights on the way to the restaurant." Nighty recalled.

Cozy finished breading the chicken and started washing his hands while eyeing Bloom. "I guess that explains why he jumped Sunny like that. He was up to his knuckles in Sunny's sternum. I don't know how he plans on treating that. I don't even know how Bloom managed to get his hand in there." Cozy said before filling a pot with oil. 

"The messages the Void sent about him? Did you notice how it said that he was _The_ Judge in the Underground? And not just _a_ judge? Maybe it has something to do with that?" Nighty theorized. 

Cozy paused a moment before questioning the idea. "He came from the underground? And served under King Asgore?" 

"Yes, that's my understanding." Nighty replied.

"I've been to a similar universe and had to stay for a while during my assignment there. The Judge of the underground served two purposes there. The first purpose was to protect Judgement Hall. They're one of the last lines of defense before the king should the castle be attacked. The second purpose..." Cozy trailed off awkwardly.

"The second purpose?" Nighty asked.

"The Judge was... Highly trained in capital punishment. Intimidation, torture, execution, and interrogation. They have to memorize a large manual on how to carry out different punishments depending on the crime or the order code given to them. Their work is reserved for the worst criminals. Criminals who the people believe deserve a much more painful death than the usual death row methods." Cozy explained. 

Nighty looked down at Bloom with a calculating expression before gently stroking his cheek. "He did say he'd taken a lot of odd jobs to keep food on the table. I wouldn't be surprised if he'd taken that up when he was desperate for money considering other things he's told me about."

"Like what?" Cozy asked.

"He didn't know what hungry meant." Nighty stated simply.

"What do you mean?" Cozy asked incredulously.

"I mean... He knows what the definition of hungry is, obviously. He just... There was never a time where he felt full. He knew what hunger pangs meant but he didn't know what full felt like so he'd eat just enough to make the hunger pangs stop. But he's never eaten until he was full before. He always just ate what other people ate and thought that was enough. He didn't figure out what full really felt like until dinner a couple of days ago after I explained to him that he wasn't eating enough. Remember how he ate so much more that night?" Nighty asked.

"I never realized that was why- Poor Bloom... His magic must be so weak if he's been starving for that long..." Cozy said with concern. 

"It is. I'm so scared to leave him alone with Sunny acting like this. I don't know what he's going to do... If he's going to hurt us..." Nighty said fearfully. "And Bloom still can't fight back very hard. It wouldn't take much for Sunny to catch him off guard and... And..." Nighty trailed off and hugged Bloom tightly to his chest. 

Cozy glanced at Nighty with sympathy as he stirred a pot and began to drop the breaded chicken into the heated oil. The kitchen became filled with soft sizzling and popping noises along with the inviting aroma of spices. He opened his mouth to speak only to shut it. There wasn't much that could be said that would be comforting. "Maybe you should talk to Bloom about staying together in his room until this blows over. I know you both need space sometimes, but... I don't think either of you want to be alone right now." Sunny suggested.

Nighty nodded in agreement. "I don't think he'll mind. His room is kind of made for having his own space even when someone else is in there." Nighty said. More cursing carried down the stairs and into the kitchen and Bloom hid his face in Nighty's sweater. "It's okay, Bloom. He's still in his room." Nighty said comfortingly. Bloom hummed anxiously in return as he gripped Nighty's shirt. Cozy smiled down at him before pulling a stack of plates out of the cabinet. 

"Dinner is almost ready. I'll set up the table, can you get the drinks ready, please?" Cozy asked. Nighty stood up and began to pick up drink cups out of a cabinet.

"I've got you covered. Just... Let me know if he comes back down here I don't want a repeat of what happened earlier." Nighty said as he began to pour drinks. 

"I will, thank you, Nighty," Cozy said as he passed him and walked into the dining room. Nighty continued to pour drinks and Bloom popped his head up as ice clinked into a glass. The familiar sound snapped him out of his dazed state and he blinked blearily. 

"You with us?" Nighty asked before grabbing the glasses in his tentacles and carrying them out to the dining room. Bloom nodded in agreement before Nighty sat him down in a chair. Cozy called upstairs to let the others know that dinner was ready.

Sneak and Fitti were the first downstairs as they slid into their seats. Glaze and Zero were second and trotted to their seats. Cloak followed closely behind. Sunny trudged down a few moments later and glared at Bloom as he passed. He was shirtless and a large bandage was bound tightly around his sternum and ribs. 

Cozy eyed Sunny warily as he began to walk around the table and dish out the food. Fried chicken, mac and cheese, and some mixed vegetables. The nights when Cozy cooked dinner were usually the group's favorite. But, everyone had heard the scuffle earlier. Everyone knew what was going on. The group stared anxiously at the empty seat next to Sunny. No one had thought to switch seats to keep Sunny off of Cozy's back. 

Bloom elbowed Nighty slightly and gestured at Cozy's empty seat. Nighty stared blankly for a moment before registering what Bloom meant. A flash of anxiety played over his face before Sunny suddenly stood up and walked to the kitchen with his plate and drink. There was a loud clattering sound and he emerged with his food on a tray before taking it upstairs. He muttered angrily as he passed. Bloom sighed with relief. They would know next time, at least. 

Cozy sat down as everyone began to eat. Bloom stared awkwardly for a moment before Nighty patted his head. Sometimes he just needed a little something to remember that the food in front of him was his. Nighty's tentacle gripped Bloom's femur with a gentle, soothing stroke as he began to eat. "Good boy..." Nighty said almost inaudibly. Bloom's tail wagged in response. A soft thumping filled the room as Bloom's tail beat against the chair happily. Cozy smiled at Bloom from across the table with a soft chuckle. 

"So, we heard the fight going on down here. Is everyone okay? I mean... Besides Sunny." Sneak asked. 

"We're all fine, thanks to Bloom and Nighty." Cozy replied gratefully.

"What happened to Sunny's ribs? I saw him go in his room earlier. That was a lot of blood..." Glaze asked.

"Bloom. He was trying to get Sunny to let go of Cozy. I'm not surprised he lashed out so hard. Sunny threw him against the cabinet. I think it triggered his PTSD." Nighty said. Bloom smiled awkwardly and Nighty patted his head reassuringly. "He reacted pretty quickly. It was impressive." Bloom relaxed slightly before biting into a piece of fried chicken. 

"Thank you for watching out for us, Bloom," Zero said shyly before pulling his hood over his face. The quiet monster never said much. But, he was always very sweet.

The others thanked him as well and Bloom blushed slightly. Bloom simply nodded with a flustered smile. Nighty giggled and patted his head. "Maybe... Not very used to being complimented yet." Nighty said. Bloom silently agreed with a nervous chuckle before beginning to nibble on the bare bone in his hand. He crunched through it with small bites. Nighty seemed taken aback by the action for a moment and Bloom looked at him with confusion. "You eat the bones, too?" Nighty asked. He seemed slightly unnerved.

"They're good!" Bloom replied before taking a few more small bites.

"You're not supposed to eat the bones, bud." Glaze said as he peered down the table.

"I told you guys! Some people with sharp teeth like us eat the bones, it's perfectly fine. And it's good for us!" Fitti said before taking a bite of one of the bones herself. Sneak flinched next to her.

"Doesn't it bother you to eat the same thing you're made of?" Sneak asked with visible disgust.

"I dunno, why doesn't it bother you to eat pussy, then?" Fitti joked. Cloak snorted and soda spewed out of his nasal aperture. Sneak rolled his eyes.

"It is good for them to eat the bones. Where I'm from, it's normal. There was a restaurant near where I grew up that served grilled cow's bones. They cut them in half and served them. Most people just ate the marrow but others also ate the bone itself." Cozy recalled. Sneak shivered. He was clearly disturbed by the idea.

"You are just kind of... A very tiny, cute, feral little man..." Glaze commented as if he were completely awed by Bloom. "Mainly cute, but a just a _little_ feral." He said.

Bloom giggled along with the rest of the table. "Just... A little bit." He laughed.

_Just... A little bit..._


	14. It’s a Good Thing the Hot Water Here Doesn’t Run Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scarring, death mention, dub-con
> 
> Sorry for the huge time gap between updates! Updates will definitely be slower for a while because of the holidays. I’m very husy!

Bloom curled up tightly into a ball and groaned. Everything _ached_.. All of the stress and fighting of yesterday had come back to haunt him with the cruel bite of old wounds and creaky joints. He shifted slightly and hissed through his teeth as a sharp pain lanced through his spine and sparked through his skull like a shitty firecracker. He sagged back into the mattress and sighed with the same amount of exhaustion as a retail worker trying to explain that a coupon was expired. He certainly felt expired. Stale bread left in the pantry for too long. Crunchy in the least satisfying way.

Nighty shifted on the mattress next to Bloom and he winced. Just the slight bounce and dip of the bed triggered a wave of pinpricks of pain. Everything felt either too hot, yet a strange chill rushed over the surface of his bones and he became acutely aware of the uncomfortable film of sweat on his bones. 

"Baby bird? Are you alright?" Nighty asked. His breath ghosted over the back of Bloom's neck as he gently hugged his ribs. Bloom jolted at the gentle caress over the sensitive scars on his ribs. 

"I'm just sore for some reason. I should uhm- Ow!" Bloom yelped as his spine lit up with a flaming hot lash of agony before falling flat once more. He folded in on himself with a pitiful whine. Why was everything so sensitive? His tail tucked into the crook of his femurs. "Or maybe. I'll just lay here for a bit." Bloom said shakily. 

Nighty was unbearably silent for several long moments and Bloom's anxiety crept into his skull. Pain hadn't stopped him from functioning before. Why was he letting it stop him now? He moved again but was stopped by Nighty carefully cocooning him in his tentacles. Bloom gasped in pain before Nighty quickly adjusted his grip and settled Bloom into a more comfortable position. Bloom choked back a cry as Nighty closely studied his facial expression. He opened the hatch over Bloom's bed and climbed out, carefully supporting Bloom the entire time. "Ssshhhh, I'll bring your breakfast upstairs. Wanna try a hot bath? I can bring you some pain meds..." Nighty suggested. Bloom searched Midnight's expression for annoyance, irritation, anything. But, there was only worry. He wasn't sure why he expected anything different. He nodded tentatively. 

Nighty walked smoothly to the bathroom door and swung it open. "Do you want coffee? I can bring you a slice of that banana nut bread too if you want something sweet..." He said as he started the bathtub. Everything about him was just so gentle. Everything Nighty did just seemed so effortless to Bloom. Nighty was unfaltering and one of the few things Bloom had known to hold steady under pressure. The world around him had always been chaotic and uncertain and he'd rarely had something or even... Someone to lean on. To hold him steady and support him. Nighty had been a constant positive force in his life ever since he met him and he didn't know how he'd ever-

Nighty was staring at him. He had asked a question. 

"I'd like both, please," Bloom said awkwardly. Nighty smiled at him before gently helping Bloom out of his clothes. There was no judgment or withdrawal. Bloom smiled softly as Nighty lowered him into the bath with care and rested his head against a soft towel on the edge of the bathtub. 

"I'll be back in a bit with your breakfast. Just call me if you need me, okay? I don't want you hurting..." Nighty trailed off as he stroked Bloom's cheek tenderly. 

"Okay, thank you. I love you." Bloom said. A faint heat radiated from his soul. 

"I love you too, little bird." Nighty said before kissing Bloom's forehead and walking out of the bathroom. Bloom felt a slight twinge of an unfamiliar emotion as Nighty disappeared from view. It was like something was missing and he wanted it back. Separated. He quietly laughed at himself. He was a fool for Nighty at this point... And, he was okay with that. They had rushed into this relationship, sure. But there was something so fulfilling and satisfying about spending time with Nighty. There was something so good about settling down on the couch with him and watching him go from cold and distant to opening up like a well-loved book with a worn cover and yellowed pages. There was so much he'd already read but it always felt so comforting to return to the same book. To read between the lines and feel the smooth pages. There was a similar comfort in it. Like Fluffy Bunny. Papyrus had outgrown that book years ago but it was one of the few things that Bloom had clung to. He relaxed into the bath. He could fall asleep like this...

His bedroom door creaked open once more and Bloom lazily peeked over the edge of the bathtub. Something unsettling filled the room and he squinted with suspicion. A second set of footsteps quickly followed. 

"Out." Nighty ordered.

"He needs med-"Sunny was cut off abruptly.

" _I_ have his medicine. **Out. Now.** " Nighty commanded. 

Sunny huffed and left the room. Bloom heard the door shut followed by the soft click of the lock. He relaxed back into the bath. Nighty was there to keep him safe. To protect him. Nighty walked in with a look of annoyance before his face softened upon the sight of Bloom's head barely poking out of the bathwater. "I still can't get over how small you are." He chuckled as he placed a tray of food on the ledge beside the bathtub. He helped Bloom sit up slightly before sitting down with his own tray. 

"Am I small or you just a fucking giant?" Bloom joked.

"Both, I think." Nighty giggled. 

Bloom picked up the bowl and began to eat. It was filled with small potatoes, cubed tomatoes, and sunny-side-up eggs along with some unfamiliar herbs and spices. It tasted... Warm, savory, buttery. There was a hint of a meaty taste and Bloom guessed it must have been fried in bacon grease or fat. Somehow, though, the scent of the herbs was overwhelming. Nighty noticed him staring confused at the bowl as he continued to eat. 

"Cozy cooked. It's one of his favorites from back home. Different universe but his home country was next to mine. We had traders come through the village from there once. I played football with one of the kids." Nighty remembered. "They all seemed really happy. It seems like from what I saw and from what I've heard, that country was just the place to be. It was easy to make a living and people got along." 

"Then what happened to Cozy?" Bloom asked between mouthfuls of food.

"He got sick. Soul rot. A lot of his family members had ended up with it but they just kind of shrugged it off. Cozy just kept getting worse. My understanding is that his mom couldn't take seeing him in pain anymore and he didn't have much longer to live anyway so she stole morphine from the nurse's station and overdosed him while he was sleeping." Nighty said before taking a sip of coffee. 

"That's fucking horrible!" Bloom said.

"I mean... Yeah but I kinda get where his mom was coming from." Nighty replied.

"I mean, me too, I was more so talking about the soul rot. Not a fun way to go." Bloom said.

"I mean... Neither was... How either of us died." Nighty said awkwardly. 

They were silent for several minutes as they finished eating their breakfast. Bloom shifted uncomfortably. He felt far too hot. Maybe he should turn the fan on after breakfast.

"But... We're better off now, I guess. In some ways." Bloom said.

"In... Most ways." Nighty replied. "Are you feeling any better?"

"A lot better, thank you. I don't think I could have gotten up if you hadn't helped me." Bloom said gratefully.

Nighty patted Bloom's head with a smile before kissing his cheek. "Just don't forget, I'm here for you whenever you need me." He said before stacking their dishes together. "I need a shower today... You want to maybe...?" He trailed off before tilting his head in the direction of the shower. Bloom felt a sharp pang of arousal lace through his pelvis at the suggestion and quickly shoved the feeling down. 

_Just because he wants to take a shower together doesn't mean we're fucking, damnit!_

"Sounds good!" Bloom chirped awkwardly before allowing Nighty to help him stand. He stepped out of the tub while leaning on his tentacle before Midnight stooped to Bloom's level. 

"And maybe... We could get up to some other things?" Nighty breathed into the side of Bloom's skull before picking up the trays and walking downstairs.

 _Or maybe... We are..._ Bloom thought to himself as his magic settled in his pelvis embarrassingly fast and unbearably hot. He blushed brightly as he saw himself in the mirror. He had formed a pussy. A single scar trailed up in a jagged line from one of the lips. Hopefully, Nighty wouldn't ask too many questions. He'd never intended for him to see this, but there was no going back now. He was too aroused to change his ecto. He walked over to the shower and turned the water on before pulling out some fresh towels from the cabinet. He hung them on the towel rack before rocking back onto his heels slightly and settling his weight in confusion.

God, he was really hot. There couldn't be that much steam in here, right? Probably just embarrassed or something. He grazed his palm over his lips absentmindedly before tensing. More sensitive than usual. Weird. 

The scent of spices and coffee still hung heavily in the room. Bloom turned on a fan and returned to the shower to check the water temperature. He winced as another pulse of arousal laced through his bones and caused each joint to throb and ache anew. Each twitch of his throbbing cunt sent a wave of pleasure-pain through his bones. What the fuck?

His hand moved towards his clit but he quickly forced himself to stop. Nighty would laugh his ass off if he walked in on him like that. But what the fuck was going on? A thin trail of magic dripped down his thigh from his entrance. He tried to think of what could be wrong. He hadn't done anything differently, had he? I mean... Wait. Had Sunny been downstairs while Cozy was cooking? Maybe he-

"Hey Bloom, you got any heat soap?" Nighty asked and Bloom jumped at his sudden appearance. 

"Wh- heat soap?" Bloom asked.

"Heat? Relief soap?" Nighty asked. "For when? You're in heat? It has scent blocker and stuff in it?" Nighty added.

Bloom stared at him in confusion. "I've never... Had... A heat before." Bloom said awkwardly before shifting his weight to his other foot. His thighs slid slickly against each other and he shivered. Was that what was happening? 

"Oh- uhm. I think I set off. Your first one. Uhm. I started mine this morning. You probably smelled it-". He said. He seemed almost panicked. "That's probably... What... Hurt. I'm really sorry. Do you know what to do? Or?" 

"I don't. I didn't really have anyone to uh. Teach me that." Bloom replied as his face burned hotter. God, this was embarrassing. He unconsciously squeezed his thighs together and quivered at the stimulation it brought him. He almost folded in on himself as one of his thighs slid over the other and brushed against his clit. This was all happening way too fast. He bit his tongue and attempted to stifle the harsh panting coming out of his mouth. Nighty quickly shrugged off his clothes and glanced through the bathroom cabinets before pulling out a few bottles. He felt childish letting this get to him so quickly.

"Here we go, shower feel good to you?" He asked. Bloom tested the water tentatively before nodding and carefully stepping into the shower. He let out a strangled, vulnerable noise as the water spattered over him. He was so sensitive that the spraying water felt like sandpaper. Nighty quickly followed him into the shower as he shushed him gently. The scent of herbs and coffee quickly filled the small space and flooded Bloom's senses. It was intoxicating. Bloom's head was spinning and Nighty moved to steady him. The gentle brush of Midnight's phalanges over Bloom's arm only added to his desperation and he clung to him. "Ssshhh, ssshhhh, breathe sweetheart, it's okay. Slow down." Nighty cooed. 

Bloom let out a low whine as Nighty gently guided him to stand against the wall of the shower. He needed- He needed. Nighty. God, why wouldn't he just fuck him? "Nighty, please, fuck, oh fuck." Bloom whined as he tried to push himself against Nighty. The heat scents had been tolerable in the open, ventilated bathroom. But now, the smell was quickly becoming overpowering inside the enclosed space.o Nighty guided him back against the shower wall with a firm hand. 

"I know, I know. I need you to listen to me right now so you'll remember what to do during your heats. Take a few deep breaths, can you do that for me?" Nighty asked gently. Bloom simply whimpered desperately in turn. "Okay, good boy. You see this? This is the soap I was talking about. Just start with a little bit..." Nighty said as he squeezed a dollop of the thick soap into his hand. His hand dipped down and skimmed over the lips of Bloom's pussy. Bloom instinctively bucked into the touch and Nighty stilled him by holding a hand over his stomach and pushing him into the wall. "I know, just stick with me. When you do this, you need to get between all of the-" Nighty was interrupted as Bloom keened and rocked into his fingers. "Folds. I know, I'm sorry, I'm going to help you after this, I promise." He said as his phalanges delved into Bloom's folds. He gently massaged the soap around Bloom's entrance and Bloom twitched violently in time with each pass. The soap quickly soothed the burning sensation but left behind the throbbing need he felt in his pelvis. 

"And you need to pay a lot of attention here..." Nighty continued before gliding his thumb over Bloom's clit and working the lather over the swollen, sensitive nub. Bloom mewled and desperately tried to rut against Nighty's fingertips as he strove to reach completion. But, Nighty held him firm and still against the shower wall. He practically wailed with misery as the delicious torture continued. "I know, I'm sorry. I'm going to help you but once I start you won't be able to listen to me and I need you to remember how to take care of yourself." Nighty said soothingly. Bloom mewled with frustration as Nighty pulled his hand away. He had been so close. Fuck. So close!

"It's going to help you more to start with the more sensitive areas." Nighty said before squeezing more soap onto a washcloth and beginning to lather the side of Bloom's neck. Bloom's breath hitched as tears began to stream down his face. He wanted to cum so badly. He NEEDED to cum. It hurt. Oh god, it hurt. 

"Nighty, it hurts, please- Please help me. Make it stop-" Bloom's cries were cut off as Nighty placed a comforting kiss on Bloom's teeth. 

"You're gonna be okay, I promise, I'm hurrying." He said as he moved the cloth down over Bloom's stomach and around his hips. Bloom squirmed against the hand holding him prisoner against the wall. But, the sweet torture continued. He bucked hard against Nighty's hand as the cloth came ever so close to gliding over his clit but it was quickly redirected and dragged down the outside of his thigh. Bloom cried pitifully as Nighty massaged the medicated soap into his sensitive ecto in stiff circles. "We're almost done, and then I'll help you, okay?" He said before dropping the cloth to the floor and rinsing the soap off of Bloom.

Nighty released Bloom from his grip and he instantly latched onto Nighty's hip. He groaned hopelessly as he sought stimulation. He was too far gone to be embarrassed as he slotted one of Nighty's legs between his own and began to grind against it like a disobedient dog. "Ssshhh, it's gonna be okay. Just one more thing. Come on, look at me." Nighty said breathlessly. Bloom very suddenly heard a wet slicking noise and turned to see one of Nighty's tentacles urgently jerking his cock. The tip was weeping heavily and the base had swollen into a knot. Bloom's grinding became erratic at the sight. He was close again. Oh god, please-

Another tentacle looped around Bloom's waist and he practically howled in despair. His hips twitched in time with the resentful throbbing of his pussy. "Bloom. Look at me. You can't cum until I show you this." Nighty ordered. Bloom gazed up at him through a haze of lust and watched as he screwed the lid off of another bottle. He dipped a syringe with a rounded tip into the bottle and pulled the plunger, flooding the tube with a glowing pinkish-purple fluid. He closed the bottle and unceremoniously tossed it on the ground. 

"This goes in. You push the plunger when it's inside to get the medication out. I normally just use my fingers but you'll need to use a toy to disperse it and get it worked in since you have claws. After we do this, you can cum, okay?" Nighty said. Bloom nodded shakily before Nighty reached down and gingerly parted his lips before inserting the syringe and depressing the plunger. Bloom's hips involuntarily twitched and pressed into the sensation as the thick, cold gel filled him. The heat inside his pelvis dissipated but left behind a painful need. 

Nighty disposed of the syringe on the floor before pressing his fingers into Bloom's entrance and thrusting them in and out rapidly. Bloom's mouth gaped in a silent scream as he arched against the wall of the shower, brought back to the edge within seconds. " Cum for me." Nighty demanded.

And he did.

And oh god. It felt so good.

Bloom's legs gave out and he slumped against Nighty as his passage clenched down hard and a gush of magic sprayed across the shower floor and Nighty's hand. The shower was filled with the sloppy sounds of Nighty's hand fucking against the gush of fluid. Bloom sobbed and scrabbled for something to hold onto, something to ground himself with. He gripped Midnight's shoulders as the rush of fluid dripped to a stop and Nighty withdrew his hand. 

"Please don't stop. Please. I need you-Nighty, please. I love you. Please!" Bloom babbled senselessly before Nighty hoisted him up and pinned him against the wall. He fitted himself between Bloom's legs before grinding into Bloom's slick, lubing himself up. 

"It's okay, I'm gonna help you, I promised you, just trust me." He said soothingly before grabbing his member in one hand and guiding it to Bloom's soaked entrance. Bloom's head knocked against the wall as he pushed inside slowly. He searched Bloom's expression for any signs of pain before working his way in with short thrusts.

The stretch burned blissfully and Bloom keened with the sweet relief it brought. Nighty's pants ghosted over his face in hot puffs. He leaned his weight against Bloom as he hilted himself and ground his knot against Bloom's pussy. Bloom groaned and pressed down against the swelling. Nighty moaned and gripped Bloom's hips and forced them to still. "Ssshhh, don't. I won't be able to stop myself if you do that." Nighty said shakily. He trembled against Bloom and Bloom shuddered in turn. 

"Nighty, please, I need you, fuck me..." Bloom whined Nighty shifted his weight and pulled out slightly before thrusting back inside sharply. He set a steady pace, drawing out further and further each time until just the tip remained inside before slamming back into Bloom's cunt. Each time the knot pressed inside slightly from the sheer force of his thrusts and Bloom wholeheartedly moaned his appreciation. 

Nighty's thumb circled Bloom's clit, fast and slippery. Bloom rocked into his hand as another orgasm threatened to consume him. He locked his legs around Nighty's back and drew him in closer, deeper. Nighty grunted and slipped under the sudden shift of weight as his knot was forced further inside. Bloom's legs tightened and he bucked against Nighty, trying to fuck the knot deeper inside. "Nighty! Please! Yes!"

"No! Nonono, I won't be able to pull- ah!" Nighty gasped as he struggled against Bloom's death grip around his hips. "Fuck!" He growled. Bloom was stronger than he looked and was only growing stronger each day. He was still weak, sure. But he was regaining the ability to fight for what he wanted. "Bloom, stop you'll-" Nighty grunted and panted as Bloom's passaged clamped down and massaged his member. "I'm close. I'm gonna cum, We can't. I won't be able to- Ahn!" Nighty ground out as he pleaded for Bloom's mercy. Bloom mewled nonsensically as he pushed down onto Nighty's cock. He was too far gone, he couldn't help it, he couldn't be reasoned with. He was close. So, so close.

"Nighty- Nighty! Please- Pleasepleaseplease-" Bloom babbled and bucked desperately and Nighty _caved_. His hips snapped forward against his will and he buried his knot down to the root in Bloom's entrance with a throaty growl. Nighty's forehead thunked against the shower wall and he bellowed with the release. Bloom's cunt gushed around Nighty's knot as the violent twitching of his length tipped him over the edge as well. Bloom shrieked and his orgasm milked Nighty for everything he had before he was dragged to the ground and into Nighty's lap. 

Nighty shook and panted as he helplessly ground his knot deeper into Bloom's cunt. He continued to spill endlessly into Bloom's womb and Bloom's mouth gaped in a silent scream. He had never felt this fucking good in his entire life. Nighty's thrusts became sluggish and half-hearted. He slowed to a stop as his cock twitched a final time and the flow of cum came to a stop. He leaned his head against the top of Bloom's skull as he caught his breath. Bloom stared at the shower wall blankly in contentment. A thin line of drool slipped down his chin.

"Bloom, you with me?" Nighty panted.

"Hnnnnnnn...." Bloom hummed tiredly.

"Fucking. Shit." Nighty cursed under his breath as he leaned back and observed Bloom's swollen stomach. Bloom's pink ecto was heavily discolored by the large amount of blue-green magic swirling inside his womb. The magic inside sparked and crackled and Nighty flinched. He watched nervously as their magic combined and interacted only to separate and burst, failing to form a souling. After several minutes, the magic dulled and swirled out in thin lines as it was absorbed by Bloom's body to compensate for energy loss. Nighty sighed with relief. "You're still too weak to get pregnant." He mumbled with relief before leaning back against the shower wall. Bloom followed him and laid over his stomach, purring contently. He closed his eyes and settled in for a nap. Nighty huffed with a smile before gently petting the back of Bloom's head. "We're tying you to the bed next time, just so you know." Nighty joked.

Bloom's tail flicked in annoyance.


	15. Maybe Galaxies Aren’t That Far Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No tags for this chapter! Let me know if you think it needs some!

Bloom peeked out of the dark cocoon of Nighty's tentacles. Nighty had been keeping a firm grip on him during his heat. The first one was apparently always the worst aside from breeding heats. He didn't really want to know what those felt like. At least, not yet. He sniffed the air with a squint of suspicion and Nighty laughed as he felt the tiny gushes of air tickle the top of his tentacle. "What's that look for? What do you smell?" Nighty asked with amusement. Bloom simply side-eyed him before _blepping_ his tongue out silently

"Still not feeling talkative, huh?" Nighty said before patting Bloom's head. Suddenly, a loud shuffling noise echoed into the living room from outside of the house. Someone was sniffling and hiccuping outside. "Oh. I didn't realize you could smell things from outside the house." Nighty noted quietly. "I didn't realize anyone left the house earlier..."

"Sunny did. The day Bloom started his heat. He came out of Bloom's bedroom crying and went in his room and packed a bag. He's been gone since then. I don't know where he went." Cozy stated with disinterest. He flipped a page in the gardening magazine he was reading.

"I didn't even notice he was gone." Nighty replied. The sniffles behind the door turned into sobs after that. Bloom guessed Sunny must have been listening. Must hurt to not feel missed. Well. Sucks to suck. Bloom glared at the front door cautiously. He could hear Sunny attempt to suck in a few deep breaths and compose himself. The faint, familiar smell of rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizer, and sterilized sheets wafted under the door along with the dulled honey-citrus scent of Sunny's magic. Had he been in a hospital?

The front door creaked open and Bloom recoiled into Nighty's tentacles. His eye lights barely peeped out of the small crack between the appendages. Sunny looked the same as per usual but was holding a bag of pills, his pack, and a cluster of paperclipped pages. Bloom's eyes zeroed in on the hospital wristband loosely hung around Sunny's forearm. Bloom eyed the papers in Sunny's hand as he quickly passed and fled to his room seemingly in an attempt to hide his tears. "Cherrywood Psychiatric Facility" was printed across the face of one of the pages. Bloom's face softened slightly. He didn't know what to feel about that. Sunny could have easily gone for anything, but anything could also include self-improvement and learning to treat Nighty properly. It could have just as easily been because he was anxious and he didn't try to be a better person at all. He wouldn't know without being told and, quite honestly, he didn't want to talk to Sunny at all. 

Sunny's door closed with a quiet click and Bloom settled back into his nest of tentacles. Nighty softly chuckled and scritched the back of Bloom's neck with a tentacle. Bloom leaned into the touch and began to rumble out a deep, throaty purr. Cozy glanced up at him from the couch and grinned. "I'm not sure who is more protective of who." He joked.

"I don't know either," Nighty chuckled before continuing, "He seems so scared but then there was that night Sunny grabbed you and then just... The way he looks at him. I swear he looks like he's plotting to kill him when he's pissed." 

Cozy's ribs heaved with laughter at the statement. "Well, he looks like a cat, so that's not surprising!"

Nighty snorted and squeezed Bloom affectionately. "A very cute cat!"

"Yes, a very cute little cat." Cozy finished. 

Nighty patted Bloom's head and he stuck his forked tongue out at Nighty playfully. Nighty stuck out a cluster of squirming tentacles covered in blinking eyes in return. Bloom eyed the tongues warily before blushing heavily and sinking into the seat cushion. Nighty snickered and slowly drew in the tongues as he licked his teeth. Bloom's eyes dilated at the sight and Cozy burst with renewed laughter. "He can't _really_ be horny for your eldritch all-seeing tongues, can he?" Cozy scoffed with amusement. Bloom simply nodded while staring at Nighty's pointed fangs. Cozy snorted. 

Sunny's door reopened upstairs and the group listened as it swung back and forth on its hinges several times before the door clicked shut and Sunny's muffled cries could be heard once more. Bloom felt a twinge of something tug at his soul. Guilt, maybe. Pity. Worry. Something along those lines. He shoved it down. He wasn't keen on forgiving Sunny until Nighty forgave him himself and Sunny hadn't done anything so far to deserve that forgiveness. Nighty didn't owe it to him either way.

Nighty's phone buzzed and he pulled it out of his pocket before rolling his eyes at the notification on the screen. Bloom caught a glimpse of Sunny's name before Midnight placed his phone face down on the couch cushion. It buzzed again and Bloom felt Nighty's chest vibrate with a near-silent growl. Bloom stared up at him as he weighed his options. Talking to Sunny would probably be too much right now. Nighty clearly wasn't in the mood for bargaining and apologies. There was no way he was confronting Sunny and, quite frankly, he wouldn't know what to say if he did. The phone buzzed again and Nighty's tentacles swished and swatted with irritation. He needed to take his mind off of it somehow. He...

He glanced at Nighty's teeth again and his heat took over once more. He squirmed out of the tentacle nest and into Nighty's lap before clacking their teeth together in a chaste kiss. Nighty jumped slightly at the sensation before looking down at Bloom. His face softened slightly and he rested his chin on Bloom's halo. It dipped down with the weight of Nighty's head and the tip of his chin ever-so-slightly rested on Bloom's skull. Bloom sighed contently and snuggled up to Midnight. _His_ Midnight. His tail wagged gently.

Nighty's phone buzzed again and he grumbled slightly before picking it up and beginning to read the messages. His usually readable expression became extremely confusing. There were so many emotions mixed up in Midnight's face that Bloom couldn't quite put his finger on one of them. It was hard to tell if it was good or bad. Part of him wanted to retreat and go hide in his room and the other part felt protective as he prepared to protect Nighty. What did Sunny even say? 

Nighty put the phone down. His body was tense. Bloom could feel it. But he didn't seem particularly angry. At least, not in the way Bloom had normally seen him angry. Nighty hugged Bloom and pulled him up to his chest before drawing up his knees. Bloom curled up into the embrace and settled his pelvis back against Nighty's femurs. Nighty laid his cheek against the side of Bloom's skull and took in a quiet, shaky breath. Sadness. Nighty was sad. Bloom hugged him and Nighty began to tremble. Cozy seemed to sense it and placed the magazine on the coffee table before sitting beside Nighty and gently rubbing back soothingly. A tear dripped onto Bloom's head from Nighty's exposed eye socket and Bloom hugged him a little tighter in response.

No one asked any questions. It wasn't really their place. Nighty had rarely expressed emotion beyond the confines of his bedroom for years. It was becoming more normal for him. They didn't want to push it away. To push _him_ away. Cozy shifted in his seat and hugged Nighty and Bloom. The tears began to fall more freely. Nighty hiccuped. Bloom nuzzled into his face and gently wiped one of his tears away.

"I love you..." Bloom said. It was the first thing he'd managed to get out since the first day of his heat. He didn't honestly know what to say in this situation. It just felt right to make sure Nighty knew he was loved. Nighty squeezed him tighter.

"I love you too. So, so much." He replied shakily. Bloom smiled softly and continued to stroke Midnight's cheek soothingly. Nighty took a few deep, trembling breaths. His head tilted and pushed into the gentle caress of Bloom's hand. Bloom kissed the side of his mouth tenderly. Nighty smiled weakly and sniffled. 

"Are you okay?" Cozy asked with concern. Nighty nodded and rubbed his face slightly. Bloom cupped his cheek and stared up at him. He wasn't entirely convinced, but he wouldn't press him for answers. It only felt right to let each other recover on their own time. Open up as they felt comfortable.

And he did.

"Can I... Can I show guys something? Nighty said nervously. Bloom and Cozy nodded and moved to give him space to get up. Except, he didn't.

Nighty trailed his fingers up the right side of his face and pushed them underneath the echo flowers over his hidden socket. The goop over the socket receded and drew up over his head and the flowers slid up with it with the help of his fingers. The ooze dripped over the back of his head and smoothed down with the rest of his body as the socket was revealed. Midnight squinted as his right eye light adjusted to the light, something it hadn't seen in centuries. He blinked a few times as it adjusted. Bloom's eyes widened in awe at what he saw.

Nighty's birthmark wasn't ugly. Far from it, actually. His face was discolored in an uneven patch that sprawled from the upper part of his cheek, around the socket, and upwards towards his forehead. It was vibrantly discolored and caught the light in a way that glittered and shimmered slightly. The discoloring combined with the shimmers reminded Bloom of galaxies. Things he'd only seen in pictures Nighty had shown him. Vibrant, colorful, swirling, unknown, and dotted with distant stars. He tentatively reached up and stroked over Nighty's birthmark gently.

"You're so beautiful," Bloom said with wonder and adoration. Nighty smiled. His right eye light had seemed hazy before but was beginning to clear and return to focus. Nighty anxiously glanced over to Cozy. He seemed to be at a loss for words.

"Why would anyone call you ugly? It's so beautiful! _You're_ so beautiful!" Cozy said before smiling warmly. He hugged Nighty. "I can't believe everyone was so cruel over this. You didn't deserve any of it."

"Thank you..." Nighty said softly. He smiled and Bloom kissed him. Nightly chuckled weakly and planted a second kiss on Bloom's forehead. "Both of you...". He took in a deep breath and blinked a few more times. "Can we go back to the bedroom? It's too bright... It hurts..." Nighty asked. Bloom nodded and hopped out of his lap. Cozy gave Nighty one last hug before Nighty followed Bloom upstairs. Bloom held his bedroom door open for him before closing them both inside the dimly lit room. Nighty breathed a sigh of relief and gently rubbed his sore eye socket.

"Thank you baby bird..." He said gratefully before bending down and pressing a kiss to Bloom's teeth. Bloom grinned and hugged Midnight as he stood up. "I don't know how comfortable I am just... Having everyone see it yet." He mumbled as he picked Bloom up and walked towards the couch. He paused midstep and looked down at Bloom. "How is your heat feeling?" He asked. Bloom grimaced and stuck his tongue out. Nighty chuckled at his sour face. "Maybe another bath is in order. Your heat should be over later today or tomorrow. You'll probably need a looooong nap." He said as he carried Bloom towards the bathtub and sat him on the floor. "Am I getting in with you?" Bloom's face lit up at the idea and he hopped over to the counter before pulling the brush basket out of the cabinet.

"Oh, are you telling me I'm gritty?" Nighty joked as he pulled his jacket off and threw it on the floor. Bloom made a face of _oh you know what I meant, asshat_ before placing the basket on the edge of the bathtub and stripping off his clothes. Nighty laughed at Bloom's expression as he started the water. "I probably am, though. I hate scrub-downs. I'm lazy." Nighty said before plugging the drain and pouring soap into the running water.

"Do I get a happy ending?" Nighty joked.

Bloom giggled and elbowed him.


	16. Lots of Little Secrets for Our Ears Only

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pedophilia mention, rape mention, pregnancy mention, loss of pregnancy mention, scarring
> 
> Let me know if you think it needs more tags!

Nighty blushed heavily and sighed as Bloom circled the soapy brush over his ribs in slow circles. Bloom had been, while silent, very insistent upon washing Nighty for some reason. Nighty leaned back into the bath and Bloom settled his weight over Nighty's pelvis. Magic lazily swam around inside Midnight's pelvic cradle and Bloom breathed a sigh of relief and satisfaction as Nighty halfheartedly ground upwards into Bloom's cunt. He wasn't the only one who got worked up over a good scrub down. Noted. 

Bloom dragged the brush along the underside of Nighty's floating ribs and into the inside of his ribcage. Nighty's face flushed further and his breaths quickened slightly. Bloom could feel the hot, humid puffs of air roll over his skull. The bristles of the brush softly pushed through the ooze drooling over Nighty's bones. Bloom was working up a sweat as he pushed through the resistance of the thick fluid, but it was paying off. 

Nighty wasn't particularly dirty. He did bathe regularly after all. He just didn't enjoy the tedious effort of scrubbing off the harder layers of dust. Bones didn't shed dead cells in the same way as skin. They needed a little help, especially in the tight crevices that a washcloth couldn't quite reach. The bones that Bloom had cleaned shimmered softly like silk or satin. They were smoother to the touch by a small fraction and just a small increment more beautiful than the other bones yet to be touched. 

Nighty sucked in a small gasp of air as Bloom pulled the brush down his spine. The magic swirling in his pelvic cradle sparked with intent before winding down reluctantly. Nighty was holding it back. He wasn't allowing it to form so soon. That would be too embarrassing. He rocked his hips gently into Bloom's. Bloom smiled gently and kissed Nighty's sternum as he worked the brush down each vertebra, sweeping it into every curve and crevice. He paused at the base of Nighty's sacrum to rinse away the lather across his ribs and spine. Nighty slowly relaxed back into the bath before Bloom shifted and gently began to wash his femurs.

Nighty shivered slightly as the brush circled along the inside of his femur. Bloom filed away the sensitive area for later use. He pressed on as he slowly mapped out Nighty's legs and chuckled as Nighty's squirmed at the brush tickling the bottoms of his feet. Nighty playfully splashed him with water before the brush was pulled away and Bloom crawled back up to sit between Midnight's spread femurs. 

Nighty's blush returned as Bloom slid the soft bristles over Nighty's iliac crest. Bloom eyed the magic swirling in Midnight's pelvis before looking at him with a playful smirk. "Wh- what are you-?" He was cut off by Bloom looping two fingers inside the front of his pelvis and thumbing his pubic arch. "Ah- hah~" Nighty panted out. Bloom smiled and continued to work the brush around Nighty's pelvis. Nighty twitched and jarked into Bloom's hands as he smirked. He leaned forward and peppered Nighty's ribs with kisses and dropped the brush to the floor before picking up a different brush and dragging Midnight into his lap. "Ah! Asshole..." Nighty cursed. But there was no venom in his voice. There was no anger. Just a flustered blush as he bit his lip and rocked into Bloom's lap. Bloom smiled up at him softly as he began to hook the thin, wiry brush into the holes of Nighty's sacrum. 

The rocking of Midnight's hips became more and more urgent with each passing moment as Bloom continued to tease his pubic symphysis with the lazy drag of his thumb. Nighty jerked between riding Bloom's hand and grinding back into the bristles exploring his sensitive sacrum. Every breath threatened to turn into a moan as he panted wetly. "Bloom- Please! I-I'm gonna- ah~" He cried softly. As much as Bloom was tempted to deny him his orgasm as payback for the shower at the beginning of his heat, he couldn't say no to Nighty's sweet face.

He withdrew his hand just long enough to allow Midnight's magic to form. It filled out into a plump, glistening pussy with a set of thin scars trailing across its soft lips. Bloom's eyes honed in on Nighty's clit and he gripped his hips, pulling the swollen nub to his mouth and laving his tongue over it eagerly. Nighty's hands darted to the back of Bloom's head as he ground against Bloom's tongue desperately. Bloom matched his speed as he lapped at it urgently. "Fu~uck yes! Bloom! Fuck- Ah! I'm gonna- please!" He said as his hands scrabbled to rock Bloom's face against himself. Bloom latched onto the tiny nub, drawing it into his mouth and humming his appreciation, Nighty cried out as the vibrations traveled through Bloom's tongue and against his clit.

"FUCK! I'm- AAAHN- AH~" he shrieked as he came. Bloom continued to lick and suck at Nighty's clit, dragging out his orgasm as long as he could until Nighty flinched and whined as the stimulation became too much. He pulled away from Bloom with a soft _schlick_. Bloom panted as he stroked Midnight's trembling thighs gently. Nighty settled back down into the bath and nestled his face into Bloom's neck gently. "Thank you." He said softly. His heavy breaths tickled over Bloom's vertebra. Bloom hugged him and lovingly kissed his neck.

"Please don't... Tell anyone about what you saw." Nighty said as his magic dissipated. Bloom glanced down at the scars as they faded away in a puff of magic. 

"I won't, 's not my place," Bloom said softly. "You don't even have to tell me if you don't want to, okay?" Bloom said reassuringly. Nighty nodded and relaxed into Bloom's arms. Bloom hugged him tightly and stroked the back of his ribcage. 

"How are you feeling?" Nighty asked. 

"I think... It's almost over." Bloom yawned. Nighty giggled and stroked Bloom's cheek.

"About ready for that long nap I talked about?" Nighty asked. Bloom nodded and nuzzled into Midnight's shoulder. Nighty let out a small huff and grinned. "You always snuggle up to me like a... luxury body pillow or something" He chuckled.

"Because I love you... And you're pretty... And you feel good..." Bloom answered sleepily.

"So I am the luxury body pillow." Nighty joked as he scooped Bloom into his arms and stood up before unplugging the drain. He hugged Bloom like a teddy bear as the water drained and he started the tap. "Gotta rinse off and get in pajamas before you can nap, sleepy bones." He said lovingly. Bloom yawned silently and Midnight stroked his cheek. Bloom's magic slowly dissipated along with his heat and he hummed in contentment. "Yeah, it's nap time." Nighty mumbled. He turned on the showerhead and rinsed them both off before wrapping them in towels. 

He walked over to the counter and sat Bloom on the countertop before handing him a soaked cotton swab. He picked up another swab and began to clean his eyelids. "You were talking in your sleep last night." He said before dropping one of the used swabs and replacing it with a fresh one.

"What'd I say?" Bloom asked sleepily. 

"It sounded like you were talking to a baby or something. I think you called them Rosie?" Nighty said. Bloom shifted uncomfortably before picking up another swab and cleaning his other eyelid.

"I'm uh... I. I don't know how to talk about her yet." Bloom said shyly. Nighty glanced at him before gathering up the used swabs. 

"Don't know how to or not ready to?" He asked.

"I... I think I just don't want anyone to know about it yet. Except for you and Tori." Bloom said awkwardly. "I haven't seen her in a long time." He continued. He rubbed his eyes as a wave of sadness rushed over him.

"Did he... Take away..." Nighty started before trailing off.

"No, no. I don't think he ever even knew I was pregnant." Bloom said. "I tried to hide it."

"Why?" Nighty asked.

"Mm... I didn't get pregnant. On my terms. And I was scared that if the guy that got me pregnant found out then he'd... Hurt us... And he did." Bloom said before drawing his knees up to his chest. He felt as if he might cry but at the same time, it was such a relief just for someone to know what happened. To find out what happened. To understand.

"What happened?" Nighty asked hesitantly. 

Bloom sighed as he considered how to word it. There was no pretty way to say this. "Remember? How I took custody of Papyrus to get us out of the orphanage?" Bloom asked. Nighty nodded in return before he continued. "Well... The headmaster was a pedo." Bloom said. Nighty froze and stared at him. 

"What?" Nighty asked.

"The headmaster of the orphanage raped me when I was 16 and I ran with Nighty and tried to hide the pregnancy." Bloom blurted out. "No one. Knew. I only told Tori. She swore to keep my secret. Because we both knew if he found out he'd do something to cover up his tracks. So I never tried to call the cops. I just tried to hide." Bloom said shakily. "I. Rosie was the first thing. I wanted to do for myself. I wanted to keep her. So I hid her. Wore baggy clothes and whatever. I never intended to take legal action. I was scared of what would happen to her if I did."

Nighty stared wide-eyed at Bloom as tears began to slip down Bloom's cheeks. "I don't know how he found out. I know Tori would have never told anyone. I guess just. Someone smelled that I was pregnant and word got around or something. But the guy found out where I worked and dragged me into the alley when I was leaving to go home. And he just. He pulled my shirt up and didn't stop kicking until she died. I was only maybe 3 months along." Bloom hid his face in his knees as he hugged his legs.

"And I didn't know what to do so I went home and called Tori from my bathroom and she came and picked up Papyrus and just told him that I had work early in the morning so she was going to drop him off at school tomorrow for me. I had bought a crib the week before and I just. It took a few hours but I got her into the box the screws and stuff had come in. And I just laid in the bathroom floor and cried myself to sleep." Bloom sobbed.

"Tori came by after she took Papyrus to school and helped me clean everything up. And helped me take a bath. She took me to her house afterward and we buried her under a fresh rose bush in the back garden. She put a little marker under the bush where no one could see. And told me I could visit whenever I wanted. There wasn't anything else we could do. Guy had threatened to hurt Papyrus if I told anyone. I wasn't strong enough to protect him." He trembled. Nighty tentatively reached for Bloom before drawing him up into his arms and rocking him back and forth soothingly. 

"Bloom... Oh my god... I'm so sorry..." He said softly. Bloom sobbed into his shoulder and gripped the back of his ribs. "I'm so sorry, I love you so much." Nighty said.

"I love you too..." Bloom said shakily. "Just... Please don't tell anyone about this. I don't want everyone to know." 

"I won't, I promise. I would never do that, okay?" Nighty said reassuringly. Bloom tucked his face into the crook of Nighty's neck. He took in several deep, trembling breaths. 

"I haven't seen her since before... Uhm... You know... Would you come with me?" Bloom asked. Nighty rubbed his back soothingly.

"Of course I will, baby bird. Of course, I will. We can go whenever you want, okay?" He said reassuringly. Bloom nodded and closed his sore eyesockets. 

"Thank you." He said. He was so tired. So. Damn. Tired. Nighty pulled back and wiped Bloom's tears away before giving him a tender kiss. 

"You want your kitty pajamas?" He asked softly. Bloom smiled tiredly and nodded before grabbing Nighty's wrist and lovingly kissing the back of his hand. Nighty smiled warmly at the gesture before stroking the side of Bloom's cheek. " You're so tired... Let's get you in bed." Nighty said before scooping Bloom up bridal style. "No one is ever going to hurt you like that again. I won't let them..." Nighty said. Bloom's weary head rolled into Nighty's chest as he listened to his soul beat. Nighty sat him down in the closet and pulled out his favorite kitty pajamas before helping him into them and pulling on his own.

"Do you need one of your tablets before you go to sleep?" Nighty asked. Bloom nodded and Nighty picked up his pouch from a tray on top of the dresser before passing him a tablet. Bloom chewed it gently. The soft strawberry taste dissolved in his mouth and he relaxed shortly after. Nighty smiled and hugged him tightly as he carried Bloom to bed. "I love you so, so much baby bird. I'll always keep you and ours safe, I promise." He said quietly. 

Nighty opened the bed hatch and climbed inside before gently laying Bloom on the bedspread and closing the hatch. The stars on the walls slowly twinkled to life and Bloom watched them blearily as Nighty cuddled up to him and pulled the covers over the two of them. "I love you too, sweetheart," Bloom said sleepily before pressing his face to Nighty's ribs. The steady, sure thump of Nighty's soul beat filled his skull and he relaxed into Midnight's arms.

The small space was filled with the sound of a gentle lullaby as Nighty sang Bloom to sleep.


	17. Checking, Checking 1-2-3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Panic attack,PTSD episode, abuse mention, self harm mention, suicide mention, scarring.
> 
> Let me know if you think it needs more tags!

Bloom woke up sniffing and Nighty giggled as he stepped down onto the bed. "I could hear you sniffing from the door. You're like a little puppy..." he chuckled and Bloom grinned sleepily at him as he sat up. Nighty put a tray of food in Bloom's lap before sitting down with a tray of his own.

"You cooked!" Bloom said excitedly before picking up a pair of chopsticks. He picked up a scallop out of the bowl and popped it in his mouth. It was sweet, spicy, and garlicky. The bowl was filled with stir-fried seafood and vegetables with a heaping helping of steamed rice. A few small bowls on the side of the tray held dumplings, sauce, and a steamed bun. Bloom picked up a glass from the corner of the tray and sipped some water. 

"How do you know I cooked?" Nighty laughed.

"Because Sunny isn't allowed to right now and you always put a spoonful of garlic on the side of the bowl," Bloom said as he pointed at a small mound of minced garlic. Nighty grinned as he chewed a mouthful of food before swallowing and sipping some water.

"Yen taught me to do that. I don't know why." He replied. 

"So when am I going to start cooking? Or is everyone just scared I'm gonna start a fire?" Bloom joked before picking up the bowl and holding it to his mouth, spooning rice into his mouth with the chopsticks. 

"You can cook if you want to but everyone is always asking me how you're doing. You still seem really weak. It just doesn't feel right to ask you to do something regularly when you look so pale." Nighty said.

"Pale?" Bloom asked.

"Your magic is really dull. You never noticed?" Nighty asked.

"No... But I've never seen myself healthy, either, so I wouldn't know the difference." Bloom said before popping a dumpling into his mouth. 

"Wh- Well I guess I shouldn't be surprised after what you've told me." Nighty said. "I remember Sunny saying before he went nuts that he'd never seen someone in as bad a condition as you were when you got here." He said before taking another bite of food.

"I'm pretty sure people who were actually dying were in worse condition," Bloom said.

"You kind of were dying when you got here. That's why he was so quick to get that shot in you. Usually, when we show up here, we were at least halfway healed. I guess you were so bad off when you died that it wasn't enough. That's why you were in so much pain." Nighty said. 

"Oh. I thought that was just because I'd been crawling for so long." Bloom said awkwardly.

"Skeletons can recover pretty quickly from that since we don't have to redevelop muscles to stand back up. That was a combination of low magic reserves, starvation, and nerve damage that couldn't be healed along with the other damage." Nighty explained. "You were well off enough that Sunny knew he could help you but bad off enough that it wasn't going to be a quick fix like it was for everyone else." 

"Burning alive was a quick fix?" Bloom asked.

"We woke up with the skeleton equivalent of sunburn. Just a lot of cold showers and salve." Nighty replied.

"Death by torture?" Bloom asked.

"Cloak got stitches and salve along with some minor cosmetic treatments. The main thing was replacing his teeth. They... Used to be white. They'd look better if he'd actually brush them." Nighty said. Bloom rolled his eyes.

"Cloak? Clean?" He scoffed.

"Yeah, I know. It took forever for his stitches to heal because he wouldn't keep them clean." Nighty recalled with annoyance. Bloom snickered. 

"So uhm... Approximately how less dead am I?" Bloom asked jokingly.

"Enough that you aren't going to die as long as you keep eating regularly. Do not skip meals. Even with the injections, your condition would deteriorate again." Nighty replied.

"Oh, okay, wow. I didn't think I felt that bad..." Bloom said.

"You have a very high food demand just to stay alive and an even higher one to heal properly. Literally just... Eat whenever you're hungry. Even in the slightest. Have a snack. Drink soda. Something... It concerns me that you can be this weak and not know the difference..." Nighty said. Bloom chewed slowly as he considered the statement.

"I don't... Always understand when I'm hungry..." Bloom said. "I'm trying?"

"Maybe we should take you to therapy..." Nighty suggested.

"Probably. I was told I needed it but I couldn't afford it." Bloom replied. "Where do... Gods go to therapy? We have no money." 

"I mean, we get money when we need it. From the Void. But, I know someone I could get a favor from." Nighty said.

"I don't really feel right taking free services from someone," Bloom said.

"Angel would metaphorically choke slam you for even suggesting that you should pay her." Nighty joked. Bloom wheezed nervously in response.

"Angel?" Bloom asked with a nervous giggle.

"Angelica. Fitti's mom. That's how she always figures out how to fix things when Sneak acts up. She's really good at reading people. She used to be a therapist for a living but she lives on a disability paycheck now. She couldn't get back and forth to work by herself anymore. But, she still does favors for friends who are willing to visit her place." Nighty explained. "She gets stir-crazy without something to do so it's kind of helping her too."

Bloom laughed a bit and Nighty gave him a confused expression. "Stir-crazy? Without something to do? Sounds so familiar..." Bloom joked.

"Yes, we all know you can't sit still. I think the only times I've seen you actually sit still and do nothing were either when you were sleepy or when you were in heat." Nighty laughed. "I don't think I've seen anyone so fucking confused by having something cleaned for them as you were for the first couple of weeks you were here."

"I raised a child. Things being clean without asking for them to be clean is WEIRD! People telling you that you don't have to clean is WEIRD!" Bloom exclaimed.

"Or maybe you just don't know how to relax." Nighty laughed.

"I think too much when I'm still! I don't like it!" Bloom retorted with a chuckle.

"No think! Head empty! Does not know ABCs! Only knows... Strawberry milk and... Be cute." Nighty joked before booping the tip of Bloom's nasal aperture. Bloom playfully nipped at his finger in response. "Glaze is right, though. You're a little feral. I still can't get over you playing with my tentacles while you were in heat. And the chew toy, too. I still can't decide if you're like a puppy or a kitten." 

"I mean I have bits of both genes so I don't know if there's much of a difference between those two. At least, not with me." Bloom replied as he finished his tray of food. 

"The best of both worlds..." Nighty said lovingly as he began to stack their dishes together. "I'll call Angel after we get lunch cleaned up downstairs. She might want you to come by today, you okay with that?" Nighty asked. Bloom smiled and nodded in response. Nighty patted Bloom's head before kissing his forehead and carrying the trays out of the bed hatch. "Might wanna polish your halo up a bit. It has some water stains on it," he said before walking out of the room. The door closed with a soft click and Bloom stretched before climbing out of the bed hatch and closing it behind him.

He walked into the bathroom and pulled out a washcloth along with a bottle of polish. He soaked the cloth slightly with the solution before pulling his halo down and working it over the stains. They cleared away quickly as he circled the cloth over the halo with his thumb. He worked over the whole halo before releasing it and allowing it to drift back over his head. He eyed it in the mirror before gently running the cloth over his gold tooth and tossing it in the laundry hamper. He put the bottle back under the sink before turning towards the door. He froze.

Sunny was standing in the doorway.

Bloom reflexively let out a growling shriek and backed towards the shower. Sunny tried to put his hands up in a placating gesture which only caused Bloom to jump and growl louder. He wasn't strong enough to fight back and Sunny was blocking the only exit. Sunny took a step inside the room and Bloom yowled at him. Footsteps thundered up the stairs outside of the room and the bedroom door was flung open. 

"GET THE FUCK OUT!" Nighty appeared in the doorway and grabbed Sunny's arm before dragging him out of the bathroom.

"Nighty- I didn't-" Sunny pleaded.

"I DON'T FUCKING CARE. DON'T COME IN HERE AGAIN!" Nighty bellowed as Sunny was unceremoniously thrown out of the room. His bones clattered against the banister across the hallway before Nighty slammed the door shut and locked it. "Bloom? Honey?" He called out. His voice was suddenly so soft and concerned. Bloom's head was reeling. 

Bloom stood on all fours in the corner of the bathroom. His heels were pressed against the shower stall as he cowered against the glass and stared intently at the empty space in the doorway. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he was safe. But, something more scared and obedient ruled over his body at that moment. He shrunk back in fear as Nighty walked into the room. Nighty instantly walked towards him but suddenly paused and flipped through something on his phone before propping it up on the floor, aiming the camera at Bloom. Bloom stared at Nighty expectantly. Expecting pain.

Nighty walked towards him slowly as he stepped as softly as possible. Bloom shrunk back against the shower door as he approached until he no longer had space to move and his tail bone slid down the glass door and clacked against the hard tile floor. He drew his legs up and hunched, placing his hands between his legs in an almost dog-like position. He hunched over and his head lowered as he anticipated to be hit or yelled at.

But Nighty slowly crouched down and reached over to Bloom. Testing the waters, seeing how Bloom would react, to see if he would lash out. Bloom whimpered and Midnight stroked his head lovingly. "It's okay, you're safe. No one's gonna hurt you." He said reassuringly. Bloom whined pathetically and pushed aimlessly against the shower door. He couldn't move any farther back. There was no escape. He whimpered and whined and sunk down onto the floor. "Ssshhh, it's okay. He's gone. I'm not gonna let him hurt you, okay?" Nighty continued as he pet Bloom's head comfortingly.

Nighty pulled a pouch out of his pocket and held the cinched opening to Bloom's nasal aperture. Bloom eyed him warily as he sniffed the package. In this state, he didn't register it as medicine. He didn't register the slightly intoxicating smell. He smelled the strawberry flavoring. It was food. A thin line of drool slipped down his chin, but he didn't move. He wasn't allowed to eat unless it was given to him, right? Nighty opened the pouch and gently grabbed one of Bloom's hands before tucking one of the tablets into his palm. Bloom stared him down the whole time. Waiting. Watching. Why wasn't he hurting him? 

"Can you eat that for me?" Nighty said as he released Bloom's hand. Bloom sunk back down to the floor and sniffed the tablet in his hand. Strawberry. Food. He gave him the food. He nipped the tablet out of his hand and chewed it eagerly before swallowing it quickly. He stared at Midnight expectantly. To be told what to do. To be hurt. Something.

Nighty reached out his arms. "Can I hug you?" He asked. Bloom stared at him in confusion. Nighty waited a few moments for Bloom to respond. When met with no response, he tentatively leaned forward. Bloom's claws scrabbled desperately at the floor as he tried to back away and Nighty instantly pulled back and held his hands up in a placating gesture. "Ssshhh, ssshhh, I won't make you. It's okay." He said quietly. Bloom's claws slid to a stop as he pressed himself against the shower door. Nighty waited a few minutes as Bloom stared at him, unmoving. He wasn't calming down enough, not yet.

Nighty picked up another tablet and gently grabbed Bloom's hand and pressed the tablet into Bloom's palm. "You want another one? You can have two..." Nighty asked gingerly. Bloom gripped the tablet and sniffed it. Food. More food. He ate it. He felt... Foggy. His body relaxed onto the tile floor as he continued to watch Nighty. "Good boy!" Nighty said quietly. 

_Good... Good boy. Good... I'm a good boy_.

Bloom relaxed further and Nighty moved to hug him again. He remained limp as Nighty pulled him into a hug. "There we go, good boy!" Mighty continued. Bloom's tail wagged happily as a soft purr rolled out of his mouth. "There we go, there's my baby bird." Nighty cooed. Bloom hooked his legs around Nighty's back as he snuggled up into him. Nighty. His Nighty. He was safe. No one was going to hurt him here. It was okay. He looked up at Nighty with a big smile and Nighty kissed his cheek. "Feel better?" Nighty asked. Bloom nodded in response. "Did he hurt you?" Bloom shook his head. "Don't feel like talking right now?" Bloom shook his head again. "That's okay, I love you, little bird." Nighty crooned. 8loom kissed the corner of his mouth in response.

Nighty picked up his phone with a tentacle and ended the recording. "I called Angel. She does want to see you today and just said to come by whenever. She also asked me to take recordings when you were having anxiety attacks or anything. I don't want to come into your appointment when I drop you off so I'll just text the video to you, okay?" Nighty asked. Bloom nodded in response and laid his head on Nighty's shoulder as he gazed up at him adoringly. "Do you need a bit or can we get ready to go?" Bloom bounced excitedly in Nighty's arms and Nighty chuckled. "Okay, we can go now. We just need to get some real clothes on first." He said before carrying Bloom to his closet door and setting him down. "I'm gonna go get dressed too. Angel wants you to bring something with you that can help you calm down if you get upset. You got it?" Nighty asked. Bloom nodded in response and Nighty patted his head before leaving.

Bloom quickly picked out a comfy outfit before shimmying off his pajamas. He folded them neatly to wear again later that night before stacking them on the dresser. He pulled on a pair of sweatpants, a sweater, a fluffy hoodie, socks, and sneakers before walking out into his bedroom. An object of comfort? Fluffy Bunny was the obvious option. He picked up his prized plushie and gave him a soft squeeze and breathed in the familiar scents of lavender, coffee, and herbs. Scents picked up from plenty of cuddling sessions shared with Nighty. He picked up his phone and medicine pouch before quickly depositing them in his pockets and walking to his bedroom door. 

Bloom carefully opened the door to a crack and peered out, hugging Fluffy Bunny under one arm. No one was outside. He crept out and silently closed the door behind him before walking downstairs. He peeked around the railing and Fitti waved at him with a smile. "He's not down here right now, it's okay!" She assured him. Bloom walked out with a smile as Sneak strode out of the kitchen with a can of soda. Sneak stared at him with a confused expression for a moment before grinning and patting Bloom's back. 

"You like bunnies too, huh?" He said before taking a sip of soda and walking away. Fitti grinned at him and playfully patted his butt as he walked away. Sneak chuckled and swatted her hand away. 

"I heard you're going to see Mama! You're gonna love her! I don't think I met a single person who doesn't!" She said cheerfully. Cloak huffed and rolled his eyes from the other side of the room. "You don't count! You just don't like her because she told you that you have daddy issues and need to keep your hands to yourself!" Fitti called over her shoulder. Cloak huffed a cloud of smoke out from his nasal aperture and puffed out his cheeks. Bloom covered his mouth and giggled. Fitti grinned and gave Bloom a tight hug as she rocked him back and forth gently. "I'm so proud of youuuuuu~," she said in a sing-song voice. "It takes a lot to get better, but it's worth it!" She said before releasing him and petting his head. Bloomed smiled back at her and bounced on his heels. 

"Alright, baby bird. Ready to go?" Nighty asked as he walked down the stairs and pulled on a thick coat. Bloom grinned at him and bounced excitedly in return. Nighty chuckled at him as he buttoned up his coat. "I almost asked if that jacket was enough but then I remembered you lived in the middle of perpetual snow hell." Nighty joked. Bloom snickered at him in reply as Nighty pulled his fluffy furred hood over his head. 

"Still not a fan of the snow, eh, Nighty?" Fitti laughed.

"Hell no!" Nighty replied.

"Just ask Mama for some hot cocoa when ya'll get there. She always keeps a kettle hot for guests." Fitti said as she patted Nighty's arm. 

"Will do, she's really sweet." Nighty replied.

"You know it!" Fitti said. "See ya'll later, gotta go reorganize the closet." She said as she walked upstairs. "Good luck, Bloomy boy!" She called back as she skipped upstairs. Bloom smiled back at her as Nighty lovingly took his hand and led him outside. 

"I would carry you but it's winter in Canada and if I fall then we'd both fall." Nighty said nervously. He let go of Bloom's hand for a moment before quickly tugging a pair of gloves over his hands. He was layered head to toe with thick, warm clothes. Bloom snickered slightly and Nighty eyed him with a nervous grin. "I _really_ don't like the cold." He giggled anxiously. 

"You don't say?" Bloom said almost inaudibly.

"Pffft, at least you're getting your voice back. I don't think Angel would mind either way but it has to be easier when you can talk." Nighty said as he opened a portal.

"Probably..." Bloom replied quietly. He hugged Fluffy Bunny tightly as Nighty led him through the portal and onto a sidewalk. A cold breeze washed over him as he walked along. He slowed slightly as he watched Nighty struggling to keep his footing on the ice. He backed up slightly as Nighty caught his balance and offered his shoulder for Nighty to lean on for support. He accepted with a sigh of relief as they slowly trudged along. 

"How are you doing this in _sneakers_?" He asked in disbelief as Bloom stepped surely across the slippery pavement. 

"I don't know. I didn't realize it was hard?" Bloom said as he paused and barred Nighty's path with his arm. '"Except for those. Don't step on that." Bloom warned as he looked down at a frozen puddle at the end of the sidewalk. Nighty huffed out a nervous breath as he stepped around the puddle along with Bloom. Bloom glanced around the street at the different signs. 

The streets were lined with cars. Each one was topped with a layer of snow and frost and Bloom giggled as he watched a couple attempting to dig their car out of a slippery patch of ice. He certainly didn't miss driving a car in this kind of weather. The scent of coffee and hot sandwiches wafted in from a "Jim Korton's" cafe. Other shops advertised unfamiliar foods and wares. "Snowmobiles" "Poutine". And something else that seemed to be in a different language. Nighty saw Bloom squinting at the strange sign as they walked.

"French. Fitti grew up here so she knows both English and French. I've been told that it's best not to go to these places without her. Everyone here knows English, they learned it in school obviously. Just, some of them struggle with it or are uncomfortable with it. At least, that's what I was told." Nighty said before he slipped slightly. Bloom paused and allowed Nighty to regain his footing before they continued. "I know I was uncomfortable with English for the longest time. The others still have to help me sometimes. English is weird." 

"I can agree with that and it's my first language!" Bloom laughed. "I remember when I was little that I would write and talk to myself in a little made-up language. It made sense only to me but, since I never got to go to school, it was the only way I could write something down and make sense of it later at the time." Bloom recalled.

"What'd you call it?" Nighty asked as he pointed to turn down a different street.

"I didn't have a name for it. The lab workers just called it gibberish." Bloom replied. 

"I keep forgetting you were born in a lab and it still fucks me up every time." Nighty panted out. Keeping his balance clearly wasn't an easy effort. Bloom chuckled back at him.

"It was pretty weird. You good?" Bloom asked. Nighty nodded as he panted and a thin film of sweat formed on his face. 

"Her house is in that building down there across the street." Nighty pointed. Bloom glanced up and saw a group of small townhouses. Most of them looked unkept and run-down. But, one of them was pristine with fresh paint and cheerful decorations. "She still keeps the place up so well. I don't know how she does it...". Bloom helped Midnight cross the street and Nighty breathed a sigh of relief as they reached the cozy welcome mat at the front door. Nighty straightened up and grabbed the door knocker. He knocked a few times and stroked Bloom's head with his other hand.

"Just a minute!" A woman's voice called from inside. She didn't sound very old and Bloom wondered what caused her to be stuck at home. Maybe she got sick?

The door swung open and Bloom was met nearly eye-level by a very beautiful middle-aged skeleton. She rolled her wheelchair backward with a smile as she let out a squeal of delight. "Nighty! I haven't seen you in a long time! And you must be Bloom?" She asked as she glanced back down. Bloom nodded with a wide grin as he followed her inside. 

"He might be kind of quiet, he had some kind of anxiety episode before we left to come see you." Nighty warned as he patted Bloom's head. Bloom grinned up at him and wagged his tail.

"Oh, that's quite alright! I'm just glad you could make it. Would either of you like some hot cocoa?" She asked before rolling towards her kitchen. 

Bloom nodded with a smile and Nighty followed with a "Yes, please!" 

Angel motioned for them to follow her into the kitchen before pouring them both mugs of hot cocoa. She handed them off one at a time before turning around and wheeling over to the staircase. Bloom was confused for a moment before Angel backed onto a small mat and it began to carry her upstairs. "Make yourself at home, sweetheart! We'll be down in an hour or so!" She called to Nighty before gesturing for Bloom to follow her upstairs. Bloom smiled and followed eagerly. He silently wished that the underground would have had such practical inventions. Though, he guessed inventors were less inclined to help those with disabilities where he came from. It was nice to be somewhere where everyone could be equally appreciated as a person instead of belittled for something that really didn't matter in the end.

"I'm Angelica, but everyone just calls me Angel! I'm Fitti's mama. She adores you, by the way." Angel said cheerfully. "She tells me you seem like one of those types that knows more than they're letting on." She said and Bloom smiled mischievously. "Maybe she's right, from the looks of it." She smiled before the mat set her wheelchair down a couple of floors up. Bloom followed her into a seating area and she motioned for him to sit down. " You can sit wherever makes ya comfy, sweetheart." Bloom smiled and sat down on a couch before taking a sip of hot cocoa. 

"So, I've heard a little bit from Nighty but I want to get some info from you too and hopefully get to know you a bit! Can I see that video Nighty took of you earlier?" Angel asked. Bloom carefully sat the mug down on the coffee table before pulling out his phone and flipping through his messages. He pulled up the video and handed his phone to Angel who promptly pressed play.

"Do you remember what happened before this?" Angel asked as she watched the video.

"Sunny came in my room without knocking or announcing himself and it scared me. None of us trust him right now and I didn't know what he was going to do and it scared me that he just showed up in my bathroom door without knocking. And I freaked out. I just kind o felt like I shut down..." Bloom said.

"So what happened with Sunny? Why is he on everyone's bad side lately?" Angel asked. Bloom explained the situation as she squinted at the screen. She nodded slowly and sighed as Bloom heard his own claws scrabbling over the tile floor from the phone. "Somehow I'm not surprised." She commented. "You were standing on all fours here and that position you sat in doesn't look... Comfortable. Do you think there was a reason behind how you were standing?" Angel asked. 

"My brother..." Bloom replied. 

"The brother Nighty told me about? Your younger brother?" She asked. Bloom nodded and explained their story. He searched Angel's expression as he spoke, trying to read her feelings on the matter. But, she remained neutral as she listened before passing Bloom's phone back to him after the video ended. 

"Do you know why your brother got so angry with you?" Angel asked as Bloom took another sip of hot cocoa. Bloom shook his head in response.

"The more I think about it, the less I understand it," Bloom replied. "I feel like I must have forgotten what I did but I also feel like I would remember if I did something so bad?" He pondered aloud. Angel nodded as she settled back into her seat. She pulled a blanket off of a nearby chair before spreading it over her lap.

"Do you think you deserved what he did to you?" Angel asked.

"I don't know," Bloom replied. He rested his chin on Fluffy Bunny's head with a soft frown.

"Do you think other people deserved to be treated the way you were treated?" Angel asked.

"Not in the same context, no," Bloom replied.

"What do you mean?" Angelica asked.

"I was The Judge in the underground so capital punishment was part of my job and I had training in it. But, that kind of punishment was saved for like... Serial killers, and rapists, and pedophiles. And it never lasted more than 24 to 48 hours. So I guess... No, actually, no one really deserves what happened to me." Bloom finished.

"How do you... Feel about your brother? What do you think of him now?" Angelica asked.

"I don't know. When I think of him I don't really... Think of him like that. I remember how he was when he was little and he was sweet and curious and he cared about me. He was there for me. I have a hard time remembering him for the person he grew up to be." Bloom said sorrowfully. "He was a really good kid and none of us saw it coming... I feel like I still love him in some weird way but not for the person he is now. I miss him." Bloom finished.

"Do you think you'll ever forgive him for what he did?" 

"I don't... Think so. I don't think there's any reason he could give me at this point that would let me see him in the same light again." Bloom said. It was a hard conclusion to come to. But, after seeing Sunny's behavior and the way it hurt Nighty... It only made sense.

"What do you think was the worst thing he ever did to you? What hurt the most?"

"Probably less what he did and more of what he said. He said a lot of terrible things but. I think what hurt the most was the first time he told me he hated me. Because... I wasn't expecting it. I just thought he was mad at me for some reason and if I was a good boy then he'd stop and he'd forgive me and we could go back to how life was before. I tried to tell him I loved him and I was sorry and he threw me in the shed outside and told me he hated me. He locked me inside and didn't come back for 3 days. And I just. Laid there and cried the whole time." Bloom recalled. His hands gripped Fluffy Bunny shakily and he buried his face in the soft plushie. He trembled as Angelica continued.

"Have you ever hurt yourself?" 

Bloom nodded.

"Have you thought about hurting yourself or hurt yourself recently?"

"Not consciously," Bloom replied. "When I get anxious sometimes I claw at my wrists without thinking about it. I've been trying to keep fidget toys in my pocket so I don't hurt myself."

"That's good, the fidget toys I mean. They're a very good idea." She praised before continuing. " Have you ever considered or are considering suicide?"

"Not anymore but that's how I died," Bloom said as he buried his face further into his Fluffy Bunny plushie. "I didn't actually want to die but the last two weeks were really bad and I was too far gone to really... Process that I was going to be dead. Papyrus had told me to kill myself and I still thought that if I was a good boy then he'd love me again so I tried to be good. I didn't really understand how wrong that was and everything until I had already died and woken up again." Bloom said as he began to cry. 

"Would you like a weighted blanket, hun?" Angel asked. Bloom nodded and Angel's eyesockets lit with magic as she levitated a weighted blanket off of the back of the couch and draped it over Bloom's shoulders. "You really loved your little brother, didn't you?" Bloom nodded and hiccuped. "Do you miss home? Like, where you came from before you died?" She asked. Bloom shook his head.

"I miss my friends but I don't miss anything else about it," Bloom replied.

"Do you like your new home?" 

"Yeah... Being here with Nighty and Fitti everyone kind of made everything worth it in the end." Bloom said softly. Angelica smiled at him.

"Nighty said you two were dating. How is that going?" She asked with a soft smile. Bloom sniffled and cheered up slightly as he peeked up from Fluffy Bunny's head.

"Really well. He treats me really well and I love him a lot." Bloom replied. "I feel a lot safer when I'm around him."

"Do the others make you feel scared? I understand Cloak and Sunny being frightening, but the others?" Angelica questioned.

"I don't necessarily think they will hurt me, not consciously at least. I just have a hard time understanding them and it makes me nervous because I don't want to misunderstand them and accidentally say something mean." Bloom replied. "Nighty is easier for me to understand somehow so I'm less afraid to talk to him." 

"When other people are talking, what's confusing?"

"I don't understand their emotions very well. I can understand what a smile and laughing means but otherwise it's really hard for me to tell if they're mad at me or not. It's also really hard to tell sadness and anger apart or understand who they are upset with." Bloom explained.

"Do you usually think someone is upset with you if you can't tell for sure?" She asked. Bloom nodded in agreement. "What do you do when you think someone is upset with you?"

"I go to my room and hide because I don't know how to fix it and I don't want to make it worse," Bloom said as he began to relax slightly.

"Do you self-isolate a lot when you get stressed?" She asked.

Bloom nodded. "I either hide or I go to Nighty and I sit with him. He usually understands when I'm stressed and he'll let me cuddle with him while he reads to make me feel safe." 

"Do you rely on him a lot to make you feel safe?" 

Bloom considered it for a moment before snuggling back into Fluffy Bunny. "I know I can handle myself but I don't think I could do most things very easily without him being with me. It would be a lot harder and a lot more stressful without him."

"Do you feel okay without him in here?" She asked. Bloom nodded as he popped his head back up and leaned his cheek against his plushie. "Would you feel okay if I called him upstairs and asked him some questions as well?" She continued. Bloom nodded and smiled. "Oh, Nightyyyyy!!!" Angelica called downstairs. 

"Yes, ma'am?" Nighty called back upstairs.

"Can you join us for a bit? We're almost done!" Nighty's footsteps could be heard as he walked up the creaky stairs. 

"I'm on my way. Is everything alright?" He asked.

"We're just fine, dear. I just wanted to ask you some questions about Bloom before we finished up." She said as Nighty walked into the room with the last of his hot cocoa.

"You okay, baby bird?" He said as he sat down next to him on the couch and stroked his cheek. Bloom gave him a tired, reassuring grin. Mighty smiled softly and hugged an arm around him. "What's up?"

"I just had a few questions. But, just for starters, since this is sort of your realm of things. Does he have nightmares a lot?" She asked.

"Almost every time he sleeps. I try to keep watch and take them away before he notices them. They're pretty... Intense and I just don't think it's right to make him sit through them if I can help it."

"What are they about and does he have the same ones over and over, if he doesn't mind me asking?" She asked as she glanced between them. Bloom gestured that it was okay for Nighty to tell her and he opened his mouth to speak. He considered his words for a few moments before answering.

"It's typically a different one every time, and they're very long. I can tell that they're memories. They're typically either very violent or just very drawn out injury. He's always the one getting hurt. I've never seen a nightmare where he fought back. The one he has over and over is probably the most heartbreaking, I guess is the best word. You can just feel how sad he is in that one. And that's the longest nightmare he has had, too. If I let him just dream it, he'd be consciously stuck inside that nightmare for at least 3 or 4 days. He'd only be asleep for 9 or so hours at most but he always experiences time much more slowly inside his nightmares." Nighty explained.

"Looking from the outside, do you think you could tell how long the abuse went on? Bloom can't really put a finger on it himself. It's very blurry for him." Angelica questioned.

"The nightmare he has where Papyrus puts the collar on him. The calendar on the wall says it's September, but the dates are all blurry. I could kind of see where things may have been crossed out so I could guess it might have been towards the middle of the month. And your birthday, when is your birthday?" Nighty asked.

"January 31st, 2000," Bloom replied.

"So he was 18 when it started. And at least a year passed because I saw holiday decorations in some of the nightmares. He couldn't see very clearly anymore by the time he died. But, I remember him seeing a lot of pumpkin decorations on his way. They weren't carved and they do celebrate Halloween, so it must have been November. They celebrated harvest at that time of year." Nighty recalled. "So, it must have lasted about a year and 2 or 3 months."

Bloom was surprised. It had felt like longer yet... He was surprised he lasted so long in such terrible conditions. 

"Is he very dependent on you? Do you ever feel like you _have_ to take care of him?" Angelica asked.

"No, he's very independent. He always asking if he can do more or help with this or that. We've actually been having to tell him no and ask him to rest because of how bad his health is. But, he can function on his own and he does frequently. Despite what others might say, we do take time apart. There are days when we just need space and he's okay on his own. I only take care of him because I _want_ to and I love him."

Angelica smiled at the two of them and nodded. "It's very nice to see you two together. I'm glad you finally found someone, Nighty." She praised. "Last question for today. Are the two of you sexually active and how is that going?" She asked. Bloom and Midnight immediately blushed and eyed each other with embarrassment. 

"We... Are. It's going very well but we have some minor things to work out. He only just finished his very first heat so I don't think it's surprising." Nighty replied. Bloom nodded in agreement. 

"Alright, very good! I promise there won't be so many questions next time! I just needed to get to know you and the situation. But, I do think that you could benefit from some medication, just to help your recovery along. You won't need it forever but I think you might want to consider some anti-depressants. I like that the catnip works for you and I want you to continue that as needed. But, maybe try taking one tablet every night before sleep regardless of how you're feeling to help with the nightmares. I'd like to see if that helps you have some better dreams on your own." She chirped before beginning to wheel herself toward the stairs. "You boys are free to go home, just drops your mugs in the sink for me, please!" She said as she started the mat down the stairs. Bloom and Nighty closely followed as they finished off their hot cocoa.

"Thank you for the hot chocolate, Angel," Bloom said timidly. 

"Yes, thank you so much!" Nighty agreed. 

Angel grinned at them as they reached the bottom of the staircase and quickly dropped their mugs in the sink with a soft _clink_. "You boys are so welcome, it's cold out there! Don't stay out for too long!" She warned. Bloom chuckled as Nighty frowned tiredly.

"We won't, trust me." He said before pulling his hood over his head and tightening his scarf. Angel giggled.

"Never liked the cold, did you?" She said as they walked toward the door.

"Certain,y not." Nighty replied. Bloom grinned at him before guiding one of Nighty's hands back to his shoulder. 

"You can still lean on me if you need to, lovely," Bloom said reassuringly. Nighty looked at him with concern.

"But you look so tired again. You need another nap when we get home. I don't want you to have to help me..." He said with worry.

"And I don't want you to slip on the ice and crack a hole in your skull. It's not fun! I know from experience!" Bloom said as he pointed at the hole in his skull.

"Mmmm....". Nighty grumbled.

"I'm not taking no for an answer," Bloom replied. Nighty sighed reluctantly and leaned on Bloom as they walked outside. Angel chuckled behind them as they walked away.

"You might as well already be married bickering like that!" Angel joked. Nighty blushed at the comment and Bloom giggled before giving Nighty a comforting pat.

"I'll see you boys next week! And tell Sneak to hurry up and propose already! They've been dating for over a decade. He needs to commit!" She called after them with a laugh as she waved goodbye before rolling back and closing the door. Nighty chuckled at her.

"I doubt Sneak will ever do that. He's too chicken." Nighty said before slipping slightly and catching himself on Bloom's shoulder. Bloom smiled at him and paused to allow him to regain his footing. 

"Seems like it!" Bloom agreed with an amused grin before they continued down the snowy sidewalk.


	18. A Complete 180 Degree Turn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drugging, PTSD, fighting, severe injury/broken bones.
> 
> Let me know if you think it needs more tags!

"See? It's not so hard!" Nighty cooed as Bloom doggy paddled across the surface of the water. Nighty held a group of tentacles under Bloom's spine and ribs as he swam just in case he needed to help him out of the water, but it didn't seem necessary. Bloom turned and swam back towards Midnight as another wave rolled in. It surged past him and Bloom awkwardly held his head up as the water splashed by his cheeks. He grabbed Nighty's ribs and climbed up them slightly before looking back at the water nervously. The waves drew back out into the ocean and Nighty chuckled. 

"We're not that far out, water won't hurt you. I've got you." He said before planting a kiss on Bloom's forehead. Bloom began to wag his tail and grinned before resting his head on Midnight's shoulder.

"Hey! Fitti just got back with lunch! Come on!" Cozy called from the beach. 

"Coming!" Nighty called back before adjusting his grip on Bloom and wading back to shore. Bloom shook his wings dry as Midnight sat him down on the warm sand. "Hey!" Midnight giggled as water droplets sprayed on his side. Bloom stuck his tongue out at him and followed him back to the group. 

Zero and Glaze sat under a colorful umbrella on a picnic blanket. Zero hadn't been very excited about the trip, but Glaze managed to convince him to tag along with the promise of a nice to place to sit and draw. Zero had happily curled up under the umbrella in a long sundress and hat with a fresh sketchbook. Bloom sometimes wondered if Zero went through a new sketchbook every week. He had already used up a good chunk of the pages.

Cozy, Fitti, and Sneak had brought lounge chairs and spent most of the time chatting in the sunlight. It was a bright, sunny day and a comfortable breeze was passing through. Skeletons might not be able to get a tan, but the sunlight certainly felt pleasant. Bloom had to admit it was tempting to curl up for a nap on the beach towels he and Nighty had brought. 

"There you guys are! Here's your food!" Fitti said as she passed Nighty and Bloom their sandwiches. They were packaged in wrappers labeled as "Jim Korton's". Bloom could vaguely remember the sign of the cafe from yesterday's visit to Canada. Bloom sat down on his beach towel next to Nighty before cracking open a can of "Catty Cola" soda and taking a sip. 

Bloom sat the can down before unwrapping his sandwich and taking a bite. A look of slight surprise washed over his face for a few moments. This was really good for a sandwich. He saw Fitti smirk from her lounge chair and Sneak chuckled at her. "The FDA in Canada is more intense about what can be put into food. So, the food there tastes better and is less likely to make you sick." Nighty explained. "And Fitti is... A little bit smug about it." He chuckled. Bloom grinned at him with amusement before glancing at Sunny and Cloak.

The two had been banished to sit under an umbrella several yards away from the main group. Sunny was clearly displeased with the arrangement as he sat slumped over like an angsty teenager. Cloak sat a couple of feet away from him with a sly smile and jabbering away. Bloom saw him say something seemingly flirtatious before leaning towards Sunny. He was quickly met with Sunny's palm pressing flat against his face and pushing him away slowly as Sunny glared at Bloom. Bloom casually dismissed the hollow stare before turning back to Nighty.

"Everything smells like salt right now," Bloom complained. 

"Salt doesn't have a smell." Nighty replied.

"Yeah it does, it smells salty," Bloom said.

Nighty opened his mouth seemingly to explain something before closing it and squinting at the ground. "... Or maybe salt has a smell and I can't smell it but you can because you have cat and doggo genes." He concluded. Bloom nodded in agreement. Nighty's brow furrowed. "So you'd also be able to smell if someone put something bad in your food..." He continued. 

"Probably. I recognize a lot of those smells but I wouldn't always know." Bloom replied. Nighty nodded slowly before taking another bite of food. Bloom was confused by his reaction until he saw him, side-eyeing Sunny. He followed his glare to Sunny, who was flipping through a small book as he ate. The pages of it were yellowed and slightly tattered. "What is that?" Bloom asked.

"His medical notes." Nighty replied warily. Bloom squinted at the book and shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Do we... Know what prescriptions he got when he came home? I know the Void said they weren't giving him anything he didn't need for himself, but... Whatever he had could be a different story." Bloom said with concern. 

"We don't as far as I know..." Nighty said before finishing his sandwich. "You're still keeping your door locked at night, right?" 

"Yeah, I can't sleep otherwise. I get up sometimes just to check..." Bloom replied. 

"Good." Nighty said bluntly. "You're still welcome to sleep with me in my room if you wake up scared, though."

"I... Might take you up on that offer." Bloom replied before opening a bag of chips. A puff of air released from the bag and he froze at the smell. Nighty paused as he noticed Bloom staring at the opened bag nervously. Bloom glanced at Nighty's half-eaten bag of chips. 'How much did you eat?" He asked in a hushed tone.

"What? What's wrong?" Nighty asked as Bloom fumbled with the bag of chips in his hand before finding a small hole in the wrapping near the seam. He showed it to Nighty. Nighty instantly froze and picked up the bag of chips he was eating before finding a small hole in the same spot on his bag of chips.

"He already fucking did it. It's a sedative they used on me in the labs. It's a gas but it liquifies as soon as it touches any kind of moisture. It doesn't take much." He said in a whisper. "We need to get you home. Right now. Before you fall asleep. It'll take maybe 30 minutes or less from the time you first eat it." Bloom said in a panic.

"What about the others?" Nighty whispered back.

"We'll text them but it's us he's upset with so we gotta get the hell out of here!" Bloom replied as he stood up and gathered his things. Nighty shortly followed.

"You guys going home already?" Fitti asked. Bloom froze awkwardly at the question before Nighty quickly came up with an excuse on the spot.

"Yeah, we're just both really tired and Bloom has a call with his friends in an hour or so, we want to get cleaned up. I want to hang out with them too." Nighty said before he picked up his phone and mouthed something at Fitti. Fitti's brow furrowed slightly but she nodded in agreement. 

"Alrighty, see ya later!" Fitti replied. The others said their goodbyes and Nighty opened a portal for Bloom before they quickly walked through.

"Go get in my bed, I'll lock the door. I'll text everyone what happened." Bloom said hurriedly as he ushered Midnight up the stairs. Another Portal opened outside and Bloom patted Nighty as he jogged up the stairs. "He followed us! Go! Go! Go!" He said.

" **MIDNIGHT.** " Sunny called as he ran inside. Bloom quickly pulled the door shut behind them but was interrupted by Sunny's foot wedging the door open. Bloom reacted quickly and swung the door open as far as he dared before slamming it closed as hard as he could on Sunny's bare foot. There was a small splintering sound that definitely wasn't wood before Sunny shrieked and Bloom closed and locked the door. Nighty shoved off his soggy swim trunks before pulling open the bed hatch and laying down. Bloom quickly followed and closed the hatch behind himself.

"Holy fucking shit..." Nighty slurred out. He blinked blearily and Bloom pulled the covers over him.

"I know. It doesn't feel good. Just go to sleep, don't fight it. It feels worse when you fight it. I'll have ginger soda and stuff ready for you when you wake up." Bloom reassured him.

"No... Don't... Leave without... Me..." Nighty trailed off.

"I won't, I promise," Bloom said. Nighty dozed off soon afterward and Bloom leaned back against the wall, his skull his the wall with a hollow _thunk_. He breathed in a deep breath before picking up his phone and starting a group chat for the Void. He included everyone but Sunny and Cloak.

_Bloom: Is everyone okay?_

_Zero: No. Everyone but me, Fitti, and Sneak passed out. We don't know what happened._

_Fitti: How did you two know it was going to happen? Nighty said to watch my phone when you left._

_Bloom: I opened a bag of chips and I could smell sedatives in it. The kind they used on me in the labs. It's a gas but it liquefies when it comes into contact with moisture and attaches to it. There were holes in the chip bags. Sunny must have done it._

_Sneak: He looked pissed when he left. Are you two okay?_

_Bloom: Nighty just passed out in my bed. Sunny tried to get in my room. I think I might have broken one of the bones in his foot with the door. I don't know where he is right now. If I were you, I'd be looking for a way to hide._

_Zero: Too late. He already came back. I don't know what he's doing._

_Fitti: Where?_

_Zero: Look towards the beach shops. He's standing underneath the supports._

_Sneak: This is creepy. What do we do?_

_Bloom: Watch him. Don't let him walk up on you and surprise you. Does anyone have a lighter or anything else that's really hot?_

_Zero: Glaze has one in his bag. Why?_

_Bloom: If you burn the chips, the sedative will turn back into a gas. If he comes back you need to dogpile him and burn them. Hold the bag closed for a bit then hold the opening over his nose hole. It's either that or someone has to hold his mouth open and pull his tongue down over his chin with either their claws or tongs or anything that can really dig in and get a grip. Crunch the chips up and just shove them down his throat. Don't give him any breaks. His body will swallow on reflex._

_Fitti: And how do you know all this?_

_Bloom: Trained in capital punishment._

_Fitti: 'Capital punishment' is definitely a gentle way to say 'I know all the little ways to fuck up your day'._

_Bloom: Yeaaaah... But there's much meaner things I could have told you to do so._

_Sneak: We really don't want to know._

_Fitti: I do_

_Zero: That concerns me_

_Bloom: Where is he now?_

_Zero: Don't know. He went through another portal._

A loud crash and cursing were heard in the house. Bloom glanced down at Nighty. He didn't stir. He must have gotten more of the sedative in his system than Bloom would have liked. Well, any amount more than zero is more than he would have liked. He looked back at his phone as he heard Sunny pass his bedroom door and limp down the hallway.

_Bloom: He's back at the house. I think he just went to his bedroom and it sounds like he's limping. I guess he decided to fix his foot._

_Fitti: You're not gonna leave your room until we get home, right?_

_Bloom: I promised Nighty I wouldn't leave my room until he was awake and aware enough to come with me._

_Fitti: Ok, good_

_Sneak: So how long until they wake up?_

_Bloom: I don't know. Could be 30 minutes or they could be out overnight._

_Sneak: So basically you're telling me that one of us has to carry Cloak home._

_Bloom: I mean if I were you I'd just leave him there lmao_

_Zero: Trust me. We want to._

_Fitti: Well, Sneak. Who do you want to start with because I don't think either of us can pick anyone up by ourselves._

_Sneak: Glaze. I don't want Zero to have to sit around and listen to Cloak's weird sleep talking. We should get him and Glaze to their room first._

_Zero: Thank you._

_Fitti: It's no problem. Alright. We're getting to work. Don't leave your room, Bloom. I don't care what you hear. We'll take care of everything._

_Bloom: Will do. I'll put my headphones on so I'm not tempted._

_Fitti: Good boy_

_Bloom: jenfjsndnsk he fucking told you didn't he_

_Sneak: Maybe. But you are a good boy_

_Zero: Agreed._

_Bloom: iehfjsjncjswjdbsj_

_Fitti: We've broken him. Our work here is done. Alright, let's go._

_Sneak: Coming._

Bloom put the phone down on the bed and glanced over at Nighty. He gazed lovingly over his sleeping face before gently stroking his cheek. He heard Sunny yelp and curse and Nighty's brow sleepily furrowed in response as he rolled onto his back. Bloom frowned as he looked towards the door. Sunny cursed again. He opened one of the drawers set into the wall and pulled out a pair of soundproof headphones. He loosened the adjustable headband before fitting them snugly over Nighty's head. Midnight's face softened as the loud cursing and shouting were blocked out and the world returned to blissful silence. At least, for him it did. Bloom pulled the covers further up over Nighty's shoulders and placed Nighty's phone on an unused pillow before stepping over him and climbing out of bed. He closed the bed hatch carefully behind him.

Bloom walked over to his computer and pulled a spare pair of headphones out of a drawer. He pulled them over his head and plugged them into his phone before starting up a music playlist. He chuckled quietly as an old indie song rang through his skull. Definitely something only weirdos had enjoyed. But, he was a weirdo. And he knew it. He glanced at the bathroom and considered taking a bath before looking back towards the bed hatch. No, he'd take a bath later. He didn't want Nighty to wake up alone. Waking up from those types of sedatives was never a fun experience. 

Bloom pulled out a sketchbook along with a box of pens and pencils. Drawing was something he'd always enjoyed but never had the time to do. He'd doodled on napkins before, sure. But, after coming to the Void, he had plenty of time to properly try his hand at it. It had become something of a hobby. He stepped back down into the bed and closed the hatch silently behind him before curling up with the sketchbook. He flipped through the pages and opened the book to a fresh page.

He stared at the page for a moment before loosely sketching out a few circles and guidelines. His drawings were never very clean. They were far from perfectly executed, but he had improved a lot with practice. His style was very cartoony but was always very vividly colored. Sometimes even surreal. He had kept his drawings to himself so far but lately had become curious to see what Nighty might think of them. So far he'd been hesitant to share, wondering if they'd creep him out a bit. He did draw Nighty a lot, after all. And some of the drawings were very clearly portraits of an unsuspecting Nighty taking a nap or reading a book. He didn't have weird intentions, Nighty just tended to stay very still for hours on end. He was a good reference for practice.

He sketched out the earlier scene at the beach. Nighty gently guiding him through the water as he taught Bloom to swim. He doodled swirls of fish and stars underneath the water before sitting back and smiling at the sketch. He sifted through the box before pulling out a black pen and beginning to line the artwork. He glanced over as Nighty shifted in his sleep and rolled towards Bloom. He relaxed back into the pillows with a soft smile. The poor thing was so tired that his normally formed and lively tentacles were slowly melting into a puddle of ooze. Bloom smiled at him and gently stroked the top of Nighty's head before returning to drawing. 

Bloom was vaguely aware of doors slamming and scuffling outside of his room. He couldn't hear anything beyond the strange beats thrumming inside of his headphones. But, he could feel the bed and wall shake with every forceful slam and heavy footstep. He was tempted to take off the headphones and get some idea of what was going on. But, he had made a promise to not leave. To not interfere. He was too weak to do anything anyway. He felt guilt wash over him as the bed shook particularly hard with the force of another hit. He knew there wasn't anything he could do to help, but his mind still warred with him. He tested the page to see if the ink was dry before erasing the sketch. 

His fingers brushed over the neatly ordered colored pencils in the box. A full range of colors in almost every conceivable shade. He was particularly fond of neon and pastel colors. Although, somewhere along the line he had discovered that accenting them with duller hues made them seem even more vibrant. He picked up a cheerful, golden yellow and began to fill in one of the stars. The pencils had a soft, pigmented lead and it smoothly filled in the blank space with ease. Bloom smiled at the small pop of color and began to work over the piece with various bright hues. 

Bloom slowly zoned out as he drew. The shaking of the house, the hum of music, and the worries of the day became distant for a while as he focused on coloring and shading. He wasn't very good at shading anything. Drawing books always said to think of how the light would be hitting the object in the drawing. But, that idea was far too complicated for his understanding so far. So were hands. But, maybe he'd figure those out one day. He sighed and relaxed into his seat. 

Bloom suddenly sat bolt upright as a bang outside the room rang through the house loudly enough that he heard it through his soundproof headphones. Nighty grimaced in his sleep for a moment before relaxing once more. Bloom quickly paused his music and pulled off his headphones. That was loud. Too loud for comfort. He had to at least get an idea of what was going on out there. He placed his open sketchbook face-up on the bed and cautiously crawled out of bed. He could hear shouting on the other side of his bedroom door as he closed the bed hatch and walked over to it. He pressed the side of his skull to the door and listened.

"Can you literally just freaking move out of the way. We are just trying to put Cloak in his room. Because you _DRUGGED_ him." Sneak grumbled.

"HIS HORN IS CRACKED! I NEED TO FIX IT!" Sunny spat back. Bloom frowned. 

"Then why don't you take him back to his room Mr. _My Foot is Broken Because I Tried To Force Myself Into Someone's Bedroom After Drugging Their Boyfriend and Friends_ " Sneak snapped back. 

"I CAN'T JACKASS." Sunny growled.

" **Then get out of the fucking way** ," Fitti ordered. Sunny growled in response before Bloom heard a pair of crutches click down the hallway. Sneak and Fitti grunted as Bloom heard them pick Cloak back up and carry him to his room. "God, Cloak fucking stinks," Fitti complained.

"Yeah, I don't know how you and Bloom don't puke around him if he reeks so much stronger to you two," Sneak replied as the conversation carried too far away for Bloom to continue listening. He sighed and turned back towards the bed hatch before pausing as the crutches clicked down the hallway and stopped in front of his room. He could see the shadows of Sunny's feet and crutches cast under the doorway as he fiddled with the doorknob. Suddenly, the door swung open and Bloom let out a roaring growl. Sunny must have used his keys. They were only meant for medical emergencies, but Sunny was clearly out of his god damn mind.

Bloom summoned his scythe and lurched forward on instinct before flipping the handle in his hand. He threw the scythe forward as hard as he could, driving the spiked end of the handle into Sunny's ribcage with a sickening crunch. The echo flowers around his feet surged forward unnaturally and curled around Sunny's feet before climbing and wrapping around his legs. Sunny fell backward with a yelp as he struggled, the scythe pulled out and discarded down the hallway. Bloom allowed the magical construct to dissipate before leaping onto Sunny like a cornered animal. Lashing out. Burying his teeth into Sunny's collar hone and twisting his head with all his might as he tried to rip Sunny apart. Sunny's hands scrabbled uselessly over Bloom's head as he tried to pry his mouth open.

"Bloom! No-no! Let go! Stop!" Zero's voice called down at him nervously. 

"Shit! Shitshitshit! Since when did Sunny still have those keys?" Fitti yelled as she ran down the hallway and ripped the keys out of Bloom's door before stuffing them in her pocket. Bloom bit down harder and Sunny screamed as his collar bone splintered and cracked. Sneak was on Bloom in seconds, tucking his thumbs behind Bloom's molars and forcing his jaw open. Bloom locked up as he was pulled away from Sunny kicking, growling, and screeching. Sneak dragged Bloom into his room and Zero followed before shutting the door behind himself. 

"Don't hold him like that! He'll lash out at you too!" Zero said in a panic. Sneak let go of Bloom and he dropped to the floor before backing over the bed hatch on all fours. He growled furiously at the two skeletons as he guarded the handle to the bed hatch. Guarded his Nighty. Sneak glanced over at Zero nervously before backing towards Bloom's bedroom door.

"What the heck do we freaking do? Nighty is always the one who calms him down when he has an episode!" Sneak whispered.

"I don't know! Do we call Angel?" Zero whispered back. Bloom's door swung open and Fitti rushed in before closing and locking the door behind herself. 

"I'll call Mama. Does anybody know where Bloom's tablets are?" She asked as she pulled her phone out of her pocket and began scrolling through her contacts.

"His beach bag. We need to find it." Zero replied. He made a wide circle around Bloom before dipping into Bloom's bathroom. "I don't see it in here. Sneak?" 

"I think it's on the couch. Gonna try to get to it without pissing him off." Sneak replied. He tip-toed across the floor, pausing slightly when Bloom growled and bared his teeth. When Bloom didn't move towards him, he slowly walked to the couch and sifted through the bag, "I've got his pouch. Fitti?"

"It's ring- Mama? Hey. We have a problem. You got a sec? Yeah... It's Bloom. Can you hear him?... Putting you on now." Fitti said before clicking a few buttons on her screen. She aimed her phone at Bloom and he growled as he moved to stand directly over the bed hatch handle.

"What is he standing over? Why is there a handle in the floor?" Angel asked as the phone's audio was placed on speaker. Fitti glanced around the room and mouthed something at Sneak. Sneak shook his head before Fitti replied.

"I think his bed might be down there. We don't see it up here anywhere." Fitti replied.

"So Nighty is in his bed right now?" Angel asked.

"I think so," Fitti replied.

"Weird question but do you know if Nighty and Bloom had sex while Bloom was having his first heat?"

"They did," Fitti replied.

"Okay. _No one go towards him._ Don't touch him and don't touch the handle. Don't even go near it." Angel warned. "Monsters with heat cycles are a tricky thing because they are more likely to become territorial over whoever they might consider their mate. Especially when they're in a vulnerable state like Bloom is right now. You're in his room, near what he might consider a den, and near his mate. Who I'm assuming isn't well if he isn't out here right now trying to calm him down himself?" Angel asked.

"Sunny drugged him. He tried to drug all of us. Only me, Zero, Sneak, Sunny, and Bloom are awake." She replied.

"Who is in the room with you?" Angel asked.

"Sneak and Zero," Fitti said as Bloom growled again. She backed away a few more steps.

"Sneak, I need you to stay in the room in case Fitti needs help restraining Bloom. But, I want everyone to avoid touching him as much as possible. Zero, I need you to get 2 of Bloom's tablets and crush them up. Mix them with either a very sugary drink or some kind of meaty soup. Like strawberry milk, a smoothie, rabbit stew, anything you have available. Can you do that?" Angel asked. Zero nodded and retrieved Bloom's pouch from Sneak before scurrying downstairs.

"Alright," Angel said as she heard the door close. "Sneak, I want you to stand in the corner. As close to Fitti as you can but as far away from Bloom you can get. Fitti. I just want you to sit down next to the door." Angel instructed. Sneak side-stepped towards the corner of the room and Fitti sat cross-legged on the floor next to the doorway. Bloom eyed them warily before sitting down over the bed hatch handle. He relaxed slightly but still appeared to be ready to jump up at any moment.

Zero returned moments later with a hot bowl of stew. He closed the door quietly behind himself before Fitti began to speak. "Zero is back with some stew. What do we do with it?" Fitti asked.

"Give it to Sneak and let him give it to Bloom. Both of you stay by the doorway, though. If he gets back up when you get close to him, don't try to get any closer. Just put it on the floor. After that, I just want all three of you to leave the room as quietly as you can. Fitti, if you can please prop the phone up against the wall where I can see him before you leave." She said. Sneak took the bowl from Zero and cautiously walked toward Bloom.

Bloom tensed as Sneak approached. He wasn't able to get within 5 feet of Bloom before he moved to stand up and let out a high-pitched growl. Sneak stooped slowly and placed the piping hot bowl on the ground before backing away slowly. Bloom sat back down and sniffed the air as he glanced between the bowl and the other skeletons. Fitti leaned the phone against the wall before quickly leaving the room along with Zero and Sneak.

Bloom sat and stared warily at the closed door. The footsteps of the skeletons outside wandered away as Zero, Fitti, and Sneak left to their rooms. Bloom's eyes drifted towards the bowl and he sniffed the air cautiously before slowly crawling towards it. He inspected the bowl closely. Food. It was food. They had given him food. He licked the surface of the stew a few times before grasping the bowl and beginning to drink it. 

Angelica observed quietly as Bloom ate and some of the color returned to his face. Even using just a couple of magic attacks, Bloom had drained a majority of his magic reserves. Angelica observed him silently as he ate. He licked the bowl clean before curling up on top of the bed hatch handle. Angel casually watched him as he visibly calmed and appeared to become lethargic. He blinked slowly and sleepily as he looked around the room. His eyes settled on Angelica shining from the phone screen.

"Hi. You with me, hun?" Angel asked. Bloom simply blinked slowly at her. He felt calm but maybe... Just a bit too calm. Angel bit back a chuckle as Bloom practically melted against the floor into a lazy sack of bones. Even his wings and tail flattened against the floor. "Yeah, maybe not. I think we need a nap." She said before beginning to type something on her phone.

Sneak returned to Bloom's room moments after Angel finished typing and slowly walked toward Bloom. "Hey, bud. You wanna go take a nap?" Sneak said quietly. Bloom simply yawned in response before trying and failing to stand up. "Nah, nah don't do that. That's why we told you not to use your magic. You're too tired now. Come on." Sneak said before picking Bloom up like a toddler. He pulled open the bed hatch to see Nighty peacefully sleeping inside next to Bloom's phone and drawing supplies. "There we go, go lay down with Nighty." He said as he carefully stepped inside the small space. He tucked Bloom under the covers next to Midnight before slowly backing away and climbing out of his bed. He watched as Bloom snuggled up to Midnight and settled in for a good nap. "Good boy!" Sneak cooed before carefully closing the bed hatch. Bloom's tail thumped happily against the mattress in response. 

"Did he go to sleep?"' Angel asked.

"I think so. You don't think he'll be pissed that we all saw him naked when he wakes up, do you?" Sneak asked.

"I think he'll understand," Angelica said reassuringly. 

"I really hope you're right 'cause I really don't wanna talk about it," Sneak replied as he left the room. Bloom could hear Angel giggling in response as the steady thump of Nighty's soul lulled him to sleep.


	19. Let’s Leave and Never Look Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Abuse mention, rape mention, injury, scarring, self harm mention, starving mention
> 
> Let me know if you think it needs more tags!

"Nuh-nuh, _nuh-uh_ , drink your smoothie." Nighty scolded gently. Bloom stilled and sipped his drink as Nighty scrubbed one of Bloom's hands. Blood had seeped between the joints of his fingers and stained the white bones during last week's scuffle and Nighty was determined to remove the offending splotches of pink. Bloom's magic was drained and the others in the Void house had been sure to keep him in a constant cycle of eating, naps, and rest. Just the small fight had nearly brought Bloom back to square one, the condition he was in when he first arrived in the Void.

Sunny's bedroom door had now received a similar treatment to Cloak's room. Sunny had been admitted to a hospital outside of the Void both for his injuries but also for another round of psychiatric care. When he returned home, he was to be locked inside his room directly after dinner until after breakfast. He would eat all of his meals while locked inside of his room. Any room or container that was dedicated to food could now only be accessed via keycard. Sunny would be living under strict rules and breaking any of those rules would result in being locked inside his room.

Bloom had seen the new doorway the Void had installed the night Sunny went to the hospital. It had been reinforced to withstand his weight and strength as well as fitted with 3 separate locks. Each lock held a heavy metal bar and it required the cooperation of 3 people to open the door. Nighty held the first keycard, Cozy held the second, and Sneak held the third. The bars closed themselves automatically as soon as the door latched.

Bloom had listened in on many phone calls from the hospital since Sunny's psychiatric treatment began. Due to the nature of Sunny's admission, the doctors had insisted upon including a family member in his treatment. Nighty had been reluctant to agree to the arrangement. But, seeing as what the doctor had told him over the phone, Sunny hadn't been completely honest about his problems or what was going on inside the house. The story Sunny had told made it seem like he knew he had a problem but that it was somehow Nighty and Bloom's fault that Sunny was so destructive. He was delusional and it was clear to see, even for people who had never set foot inside the Void. 

Even in the fog of Bloom's tired mind, there was a sense of pity for Sunny's situation. He had heard Sunny's diagnoses over the phone. Various mental disorders he was familiar with yet didn't completely understand from personal experience. Obsessive-compulsive disorder was easier to understand. Papyrus had suffered significantly from it, especially since Bloom couldn't afford to take him to therapy to help treat it. A lot of Bloom's life had revolved around Papyrus' rituals of keeping the house clean and orderly as well as trying to live by the tight schedule Papyrus needed to prevent a breakdown. It had become outright impossible near Bloom's end when he came too tired to complete everything on time.

Among Sunny's other symptoms were borderline personality disorder, general psychosis, general anxiety disorder, and depression. The running theory was that Bloom's arrival might have disturbed Sunny's OCD routine and started a domino effect. There hadn't been a new arrival in the Void in about a century. It was unexpected and created a new and challenging responsibility for Sunny, the appointed 'doctor' of the house. Bloom's treatment was rather taxing as he needed attention during every episode and even for minor injuries like scratches. 

Adding to this, Sunny's episode had pushed Cozy away. They had been lovers for centuries and Sunny's rituals and routines were built around their days together. Driving a stake between them had only caused Sunny to spiral out of control as he was removed from his usual space and completely separated from his normal routine. Nothing was the same and Sunny had no control over his life or setting. Reality felt too horrible to be real yet dreams felt too good to be true. Sunny's perception of what was real and what was fake was shattered and disorienting. He truly wasn't himself. He was scared and desperate yet completely helpless to repair the damage that had been done. 

"Whatcha thinking about, baby bird?" Nighty said as he released Bloom's hand. The bloodstains had finally been removed. Nighty patted Bloom's other hand and Bloom grasped the large cup with his free hand before presenting his other hand to Nighty, who inspected it closely before beginning to scrub it. Bloom grimaced at the scent of the whitening soap Nighty was using. It was scented like coffee, but Bloom could smell the harsher chemicals underneath. 

"Sunny," Bloom replied simply. Nighty nodded in response as he worked the lather between Bloom's metacarpus and phalanges. 

"His therapist wants us to see him in person around 7 tonight. Family session or something. He normally wouldn't want you around just because you're not married to me or anything. It's just a weird situation with how we live together... And apparently, some things Sunny has said make it seem beneficial." Nighty said. He didn't seem very convinced about the 'beneficial' part. "I explained your health issues, though. He's going to make sure there's a good place for you to sit outside of the therapy room if you need to leave for any reason. And I mean _any_ reason. Even if you're just tired." Nighty emphasized. Bloom nodded in understanding. 

"Thank you," Bloom said.

"It's no problem, lovely." Nighty said before releasing Bloom's other hand, Nighty finally seemed satisfied that the bloodstains were removed and began to drain the tub. "Did you finish it?" Nighty asked as he pointed to the large smoothie cup in Bloom's hand, Bloom nodded and handed the empty cup to Nighty, who patted his head gently. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired but I'm not hurting anymore," Bloom replied. "I still don't think I can stand up by myself..." he continued. Nighty picked him up carefully and hugged him to his chest as he stepped out of the bathtub and carried Bloom to the bathroom counter. He sat him down on a towel and wrapped him in it before drying himself off as well. "It didn't take this long for you to perk up the first time... There has to be something else wrong." He said before dropping the towel on the floor and helping Bloom dry off. "How is your soul looking?" He asked.

"The same," Bloom replied.

"Can I see?" Nighty asked before gently stroking the front of Bloom's ribs. 

Bloom was torn. He trusted Nighty to handle the fragile, fractured construct yet was nervous for him to see how extensive the damage was. He had seen passing glances of it but had never truly grasped how utterly mangled Bloom's soul was. But, this was something lovers did. They shared their souls. Shared their pain. Nighty was trying to help. Bloom looked up at Nighty's face anxiously, but he saw nothing there but love. He nodded and Nighty gently pulled Bloom's soul free with the help of his magic.

It was just as cracked as it was before. Bloom had made leaps and bounds with his recovery previously but it had come to a disappointing standstill after recent events. The light inside the small construct wavered and flickered. It was clearly weaker than it was when Bloom first arrived, mirroring Bloom's fear and his sense of helplessness. Bloom watched Nighty gently cradle the small heart in his hands as if it were something beautiful, something precious, something to be cherished. 

"Will you let me share my soul with you?" Nighty asked. 

"But it'll hurt you!" Bloom replied with worry.

"Only long enough to fix you. And not permanently. I'd just feel what you felt." Nighty reasoned. 

"I don't want that for you..." Bloom said shakily.

"And I don't want you to have to live with it! It hurts you! Don't you feel that?" Nighty asked.

"Feel what?" Bloom asked. Nighty stared at him in disbelief.

"Bloom, there's no way your soul is this damaged and it doesn't hurt..." Nighty said with concern.

"I didn't know... I'm sorry..." Bloom replied. He looked at the ground. He felt guilty somehow. He couldn't look Nighty in the eye.

"Bloom... Please let me help you. I promise I'll be okay. I just can't go on seeing you feel like this every day. You're too sweet and caring to be living with something like this. You don't deserve it." Nighty reasoned. Bloom stared at the ground.

"... If it hurts too much, you promise to stop. Right? I won't let you unless you promise me that." Bloom said.

"Bloom... Honey... Look at me." Nighty said before gently grabbing Bloom's chin and tilting his face back toward him. "I promise. I promise I won't let this go too far for either of us, okay? I want us both to be happy." Nighty said soothingly. 

Bloom nodded and Nighty carefully scooped him up bridal style inside the soft towel. He carried Bloom inside one of his napping tents before curling up with him on the soft cushion. Nighty pressed the side of Bloom's skull to his ribcage and allowed him to rest for a few moments, listening to the steady thump of Nighty's soul. 

"If I hurt you, tell me. I'll stop right away, okay?" Nighty said softly. Bloom nodded in agreement against Nighty's chest, Nighty took in a deep breath before pulling his own soul out of his ribcage. The construct was much larger than Bloom's and had a single, thin crack running from the bottom tip and into the right curve of the heart. Before Bloom could ask any questions, Nighty guided his own soul to rest inside his palm along with Bloom's. Their energies hummed and slightly melted into each other for a few moments before Nighty gestured for Bloom to help it along. Bloom tentatively reached forward and pressed his soul firmly against Midnights.

Their magic sparked before surging together. Their minds linked and Bloom felt himself drop into a dazed state. Nighty's consciousness waded through the fog before delving into Bloom's memories as Nighty's blue-green magic filled the cracks in Bloom's soul. Bloom was dragged into his own memories as Nighty moved to tackle the first bit of scarring.

It started with Rosie. Or really, when Bloom lost Rosie while laying on the cold tile of the bathroom floor. Bloom stood in the dream as a bystander and watched as the face of his younger self took on a tinge of blue. Nighty was there. Feeling everything he felt both physically and mentally. Feeling the moment where Bloom first gave up on himself. Rosie was the first thing Bloom had wanted for himself. His daughter, his child. And it had been taken away so violently and painfully. He had taken it as a lesson, something he decided he had just learned the hard way. Nothing he wanted mattered or was worth it. Doing things for himself would only end in pain, loss, and suffering. From that day forward, he'd live for Papyrus. Not himself. The room inside the dream splintered and bubbled with blue magic. The crack was sealing. The memory wouldn't fade, but the pain behind it would leave along with the damage it left behind. 

The walls of the room floated away like pieces of shredded paper. For a moment, Bloom could feel the energies behind Midnight's presence. Confusion, sadness, sympathy. Another memory began to fade into existence. Bloom walked as he followed Papyrus down the snowy sidewalk. He dragged Bloom, or rather, at the moment, Nighty down the sidewalk by his collar. His legs and feet left a trail of lines in the snow as he hung limply from Papyrus' grasp. This was the worst crack. The one that almost killed him. Bloom winced at the thought of what Nighty was experiencing right now. What he was putting himself through for the sake of Bloom's health. But he promised he'd pull back if it was too much. As much as Bloom hated to see him in pain, he trusted that Nighty would keep his promise.

Papyrus threw him into the shed and he skidded uselessly across the concrete floor like a pebble being tossed across a lake before slamming into the wall under the workbench. A heavy chain was clipped onto the collar before Papyrus began to leave, shouting curses and insults behind him. 

"I'm sorry! Boss! Please! I love you!"

" **I HATE YOU.** " Papyrus spat back before closing the shed door with a bang. The lock outside was latched shut and Nighty was left to experience the cold of the shed inside of Bloom's battered and broken body. This one wouldn't heal so easily. Nighty was going to experience days worth of pain inside this hell hole. Sure, only a few minutes passed by in the real world. But time inside the shed would feel like forever. Bloom sat next to the sobbing, shivering body on the floor. Nighty would be able to sense his presence and his love. Nothing Bloom did would be able to ease the pain Nighty felt inside the dream. But, Nighty persevered. 

A day passed inside the dream as Bloom watched his old body grow tired and weak. No food, no water, and certainly hardly any sleep was ever had in the unforgiving freeze of the shed. Bloom watched as Nighty endured the frostbite creeping up Bloom's fingers, toes, and nearly hairless tail. Another day passed. He watched as his past self dragged themself to the wall of the barn and tore open a bag of blood meal garden fertilizer before beginning to eat frozen chunks of it out of desperation. The frostbite cracked slightly and he began to bleed. One more day left.

Bloom laid down next to the nearly lifeless body next to the torn bag of fertilizer. They were too weak to even shiver anymore. Bloom remembered this moment. He thought he was going to die here. That Papyrus was done with him and would move on to better things without him. He didn't need Bloom anymore. And Bloom felt worthless. He had done nothing with his life except care for Papyrus. For Boss. And now that Boss didn't need him anymore, what was he? What was the point of him? Everyone would be better off if he was dead, wouldn't they? One less mouth to feed. An empty room for Papyrus to do with as he pleased. Maybe he'd make an office out of Bloom's old bedroom. Bloom had closed his eyes and waited for death, complicit in what Papyrus was doing to him. He had felt himself begin to fade away. That was until the shed door had swung open and banged into the wall. Even in his memories, Bloom could barely make out what Papyrus was saying.

The chain was unleashed from Bloom's collar as Papyrus tried to force Bloom to stand. His past self slumped to the ground in a heap of bones and Papyrus shouted at him. The room was filled with a harsh ringing and the distant, muffled sound of Papyrus' cursing. He dragged Bloom inside the main house before dumping him, clothes and all, into a bathtub filled with scalding hot water. But he was too weak to even flinch as Papyrus grabbed his shoulders and slammed him against the wall several times before shoving him beneath the surface of the water and holding him there until his bones thawed. The cracks in Bloom's bones began to seep blood as the wounds melted. He then pulled him up and peeled the lid off of a can of wet dog food. He shoved spoonfuls of it into Bloom's mouth, forcing it down his throat. It had been just enough to keep him alive for a few more months of torture. 

The memory ended with Bloom being dragged back into his bedroom and being chained to the floor. Papyrus had shouted at his motionless body for several minutes before planting a single kick in Bloom's ribs. His body was flung towards the wall by the blow and the only thing that saved his skull from crashing into the baseboard was the chain pulling taut along with his collar. Bloom had fallen asleep moments later as he bled freely onto the bloodstained carpet. 

The memory ended and the ground swept out from underneath Bloom before blowing away in a cloud of dust and smoke. Blue-green energy crackled through the air. Another crack was healed. Bloom suddenly felt much more energized. His chest felt lighter. He breathed deeply. It felt like he had been freed from something. It seemed like Nighty had sensed the shift in Bloom's mind. His energy crashed into Bloom's and for a moment Bloom didn't sense his return to the physical world as Nighty kissed him. His teeth pressed against Bloom's urgently as he withdrew his magic from Bloom's soul. The two hearts were thoughtless;y discarded and they hovered together in the air, lingering together and twirling around each other. Bloom returned to reality and cupped Midnight's cheek, kissing him earnestly. 

He felt so much better. It was strange. He felt... Good. He felt strong. He felt alive. His magic rushed through his bones and latched onto the damaged nerves inside. Healing. It would still take time but, now that his magic was working with purpose, he would heal so much faster. A deep ache that had filled him for so many years had been lifted. For a long time, he hadn't felt that he was hurting. But, now that he knew what it was like to live without the pain, he realized what he had been missing out on. As Nighty pulled away from the kiss, Bloom hugged him with a strength he hadn't felt in his entire life. 

"Woooagh!" Nighty grunted. "You're stronger than I thought you'd be, you're gonna break me!" Nighty joked. Bloom laughed as he loosened his grip.

"Sorry! Sorry..." he laughed as tears slipped down his face. Tears of joy. 

"It's okay! It's okay. I'm just glad you feel better. Your face..." he smiled before kissing Bloom's cheek.

"My face?" Bloom said curiously. 

"Come on, I wanna show you." Nighty said before scooping him up and carrying him to the bathroom. He stood in front of the mirror and allowed Bloom to drink in his new appearance.

The color in Bloom's face had returned in full force. It was gleaming a bright pink with soft blue and purple shifts in hue. The freckles he could barely see before now appeared metallic and bright gold. The light reflected softly off his shimmering freckles in a dazzling display. He felt... Beautiful. He was beautiful. Just like Nighty. He smiled at his reflection and Nighty kissed his cheek lovingly. "That... That is how your face is supposed to look." Night said softly. Bloom nodded and nuzzled his face into Nighty's neck. His tail wagged softly as Nighty sat him down on the counter facing the mirror. 

"And I'm fine, see? I promised you. You know I wouldn't lie to you." Nighty said softly as he passed Bloom's wing oil to him. Bloom gently grasped the bottle before looking up at Nighty with a loving smile.

"I don't know why I ever doubted you." He replied. Nighty grinned and patted Bloom's head. "I love you, Nighty."

"I love you too, Bloomy." He said before beginning to brush Bloom's tail. Suddenly, Nighty's phone rang. He picked it up and shortly spoke with someone before hanging it up and looking nervously at Bloom. "We're running late." He said before quickly finishing up brushing Bloom's tail. Bloom hopped off the counter with renewed strength and trotted to his closet. Nighty followed and began to pull on his clothes as Bloom quickly selected an outfit from the closet.

"You're walking again! Just don't push too hard, okay? I'll be there to help if you get too tired." Nighty said as he tugged up his waistband.

"I'll be good, I promise," Bloom replied before quickly pulling on a pair of pants.

"Good boy." Nighty praised. Bloom's tail wagged in response as he pulled the bottom of his sweater down and picked up his bag. "Ready."

"Okay, let's go!" Nighty said before sweeping Bloom up in one arm and hurrying downstairs. Bloom giggled as Nighty energetically jogged down the stairs before noticing their souls trailing behind them.

"Uh, Nighty. We forgot something." Bloom said awkwardly. Nighty paused halfway down the staircase and eyed the souls as they swirled into view. He stared at them with a furrowed brow for several long moments and Bloom eyed him with confusion. "What? Is something wrong?"

"We soul bonded." Nighty replied as he carefully picked his soul out of the air. Bloom followed and carefully inspected his own soul. It was glowing brightly and there was a small patch near the bottom that had turned blue-green where Nighty's soul had shared its energy with Bloom's. Nighty's soul had a small patch of pink in a matching position. They really had. But that was so rare... Nighty directed his soul back into his ribcage before continuing down the stairs. "We'll... Talk about it when we have more time." Nighty said reassuringly before carrying Bloom out of the front door and through a portal. Bloom eyed his soul with awe and love for a few more moments before tucking it back into his ribcage. Yeah, they'd talk about it later.

Nighty jogged hurriedly down the street and Bloom watched the shops by the sidewalk whip by with each long stride. The hospital Sunny was staying in was located in Cozy's home universe from his understanding. Many of the shops had signs in a different language. The letters and symbols were far beyond Bloom's understanding so he glanced around at the people. Many of them wore headscarves and long dresses or tunics. Bloom thought they looked really beautiful. The fabric was so flowy and some of them had very detailed and unique prints. A person across the street smiled and waved at him. He grinned back and waved before Nighty turned onto another street. Yeah, the people here really did seem happier than most. And friendlier! 

Nighty darted into a parking lot surrounded by trees. At its center was a large hospital. It was in pristine condition and surrounded by well-kept shrubbery. It was Bloom's understanding that Sunny was only here because of how injured he was. He would have normally been sent to a separate building specialized in psychiatric care, but they were not equipped for someone with several broken bones. Nighty slowed as he reached the doors of the building, catching his breath as he walked up to the front desk.

Midnight exchanged a few words with the person at the desk before they printed out a couple of visitor tags for Nighty and Bloom. The tags specified that they were English-speakers, much to Bloom's relief. He admired the diversity of spoken and written language, but it always felt so awkward to have to end a conversation so soon simply because he couldn't understand someone. It felt sad, really. Especially when the person talking seemed so friendly.

Nighty walked down a few hallways as he squinted at the numbers on the signs hanging in the hallway. "What room is he in?" Bloom asked.

"425." Nighty replied. He turned down another hallway as he followed the number labels on the signs overhead. "He should be down here somewhere..."

Bloom looked at the numbers beside each door as Nighty passed. It took a few minutes before they spotted the room number, but it wasn't long before Nighty gently knocked on the door. An older wolf monster opened the door to a crack and peeked out. "Midnight and Bloom, I presume?" He asked. Nighty and Bloom nodded in response.

"I'm Midnight, and this is my lover, Bloom." Nighty said. 

"I'm Dr. Shah. It's nice to meet you two, Please, come in. He has a headache, but we've given him as much pain medication as we can provide without hurting him. I will warn you that he has been very irritable." Dr. Shah said as he led them into the room. Nighty quietly closed the door behind them and stood Bloom on the linoleum floor. He quietly gestured for Bloom to stay behind him and Bloom nodded in understanding.

Sunny laid on the hospital bed with a scowl. He stared at the wall on the other side of the room as he avoided looking at the three sitting down at his bedside. "Sunny, your brother and Bloom are here. Would you like to say hello?" Dr. Shah suggested.

"No," Sunny replied simply.

"But you said earlier that you missed your brother?" Dr. Shah continued.

"I miss him, not the little piece of trash he brought with him." Sunny spat as he continued to stare at the wall across the room.

Dr. Shah nodded awkwardly and sucked in a frustrated breath as he glanced down at the floor for a few moments. "Bloom is it true that you were the one who attacked Sunny?" Dr. Shah asked.

"Yes. He had drugged Nighty and my friends with sedatives in their food while we were at the beach. I smelled it in my food and figured out what was going on and took Nighty home before he passed out. Sunny tried to force himself into my room so I broke his foot and he left. A while later he came back again with his emergency keys and unlocked my door without my permission and I was scared of what he planned to do to Nighty and me so I attacked him."

"Midnight, Sunny said he let himself into the room because you were in medical distress, is that true?" Dr. Shah continued.

"No, I was just sleeping. Bloom got me in bed and tucked in before I passed out. I was fine apart from waking up with a bit of a headache from the sedatives. I felt fine after I drank some ginger soda and took something for my head." Nighty explained. 

"So you were not throwing up blood?" Dr. Shah asked.

"No, I never threw up at all." Nighty replied.

"Bloom, have you ever threatened Nighty or Sunny?" Dr. Shah asked.

"I've never threatened Nighty. And Sunny... I didn't really feel like I actually needed to say anything. I think he got the point when he broke into my room." Bloom replied. Sunny tsked at the statement.

"Is what Bloom said not true, Sunny?" Dr. Shah asked. 

"He threatens me every day!" Sunny spat over his shoulder.

"No, he fucking doesn't. I've spent almost every waking moment with him for weeks. He would have never had time to say shit to you without me knowing!" Midnight retorted. 

"He doesn't have to say anything! Haven't you seen the way he looks at me?" Sunny complained.

"I think I'd look at you that way too after all you've said and done! And I have! So am I threatening you too?" Nighty questioned.

"No!" Sunny replied.

"Everyone calm down and take a deep breath, please. Sunny, someone looking angry with you does not mean they are threatening you. That doesn't make sense. You have to know that, correct?" Dr. Shah questioned. Sunny simply frowned and glared silently at the wall. Nighty squinted at him with suspicion before drawing Bloom closer to himself. "Sunny, I need you to cooperate in order for us to make progress. Please answer me."

"I know that." Sunny replied.

"So you understand that Bloom only hurt you because he felt you were a danger to him and Nighty?" Dr. Shah asked.

Sunny was silent for several long moments before answering. "Yes."

"Can you try to talk to Nighty about what upset you initially? Before the fight with Cozy?" Dr. Shah asked. Sunny swallowed dryly and glanced back at Nighty before continuing to stare at the wall.

"You didn't ask for my blessing before dating Bloom and I don't approve of him," Sunny said flatly. Nighty rolled his eyes.

"For one, you didn't ask for my blessing when you started dating Cozy so I don't think it's fair that I would have to ask for yours." Nighty replied. "Second, it doesn't matter whether you like him or not at this point. We're soul bonded." Sunny snapped to attention at the last statement. He stared in shock at Bloom and Midnight.

"No! That's not possible. You're lying!" Sunny snapped. Nighty pulled his soul out in response, displaying the bright pink patch of discoloration where Bloom had shared his magic with him. Bloom followed his movements and presented the vibrant blue-green splotch on his soul. Sunny stared at them in disbelief before slamming his fist on the hospital mattress. " **NO, I FORBID IT!** "

"You don't get to make that choice for me. What even makes you think you have the right?" Nighty said bitterly.

" **I AM YOUR BROTHER!** "

"Yeah. The brother who watched me get raped by their boyfriend and his friends and did nothing then kissed him and went on a date afterward." Nighty said with a blank expression. Bloom gently gripped one of Nighty's hands and rubbed it soothingly with his thumb. Nighty relaxed slightly. Sunny stared at him. It was like he had frozen in time as he recalled the memory. He slumped back against the mattress and slowly looked back toward the wall. He looked... Defeated.

"I didn't want to..." Sunny mumbled. Nighty laughed bitterly.

"Oh yeah, the laughing and smiling really made it seem like you were very sad." Nighty said. Bloom glared at Sunny angrily. What the hell was he thinking? Did he really think he could get out of this with something that was clearly a lie?

"I was faking it! I didn't even want to date him! Don't you remember how rich Hajun was?" Sunny asked. He was crying. Bloom could have laughed at how ridiculous he was being.

"Oh yeah, I remember. I remember him buying you everything you wanted. You were the only one in the house that was actually getting fucking fed." Nighty said angrily.

"I didn't want to date him. Remember how you kept scolding me because I always had bruises all over me? And I just kept saying I'd fallen or something?" Sunny said shakily.

"Yeah, you were a clutz, what about it?" Nighty huffed.

"I wasn't. Mom and Dad were forcing me to date him for the money. If I said I didn't want to do it anymore or cried because I wanted them to stop hurting you then they'd punish me." Sunny said as tears began to slip down his face.

"Likely story." Nighty said sarcastically.

"I'm not lying to you. I didn't want you hurt!" Sunny cried.

"You just fucking said when this all started that I deserved it because of my fucking birthmark!" Nighty growled.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!" Sunny pleaded.

"That's a lie and you know it!" Nighty yelled.

"Everyone please take a step back and take a deep breath. Fighting won't solve this." Dr. Shah said calmly. Nighty leaned back in his chair and Bloom laid his head against Nighty's arm. A gentle reminder that he was here. Here for him. He stroked Nighty's back and Nighty sighed and attempted to take a deep breath. Sunny continued to cry. He was shaking. Bloom was torn between believing him and sticking with the seemingly obvious fact that Sunny was just a dick. Plain and simple.

"Nighty, I'm really sorry. I wanted to help but I didn't. I was a coward. Please...". Sunny begged.

"No." Nighty said simply. No, he didn't forgive him. No, he didn't believe him. And no, he wouldn't stop loving Bloom. Dr. Shah nodded and adjusted his glasses.

"Nighty, have you ever hurt your brother?" Dr. Shah asked.

"Only when he put me, Bloom, or my friends in danger." Nighty replied.

"Did you throw him down the stairs?" Dr. Shah asked.

"No, I threw him out of Bloom's room and against the banister at the top of the stairs. Because he came into Bloom's room without permission and cornered him in the bathroom." Nighty replied.

"Did he hurt Bloom?" Dr. Shah asked.

"No, but I thought he had because I heard Bloom scream from downstairs and when I got to the bathroom he was having a PTSD episode and trying to back into the corner near the shower." Nighty replied.

"Bloom, do you have PTSD?" Dr. Shah asked. Bloom nodded in response. "Did he hurt you?" Bloom shook his head. "But he did scare you very badly when he showed up without announcing himself?" Dr. Shah questioned.

"Yes. I didn't know what he was doing there and a friend had heard him ranting to himself in his room. They warned us that he might try to put drugs in our food or something. So I was scared that he was going to try and hurt me somehow." Bloom explained.

"Who told you?" Sunny said angrily.

"I'm not saying. I don't trust you not to try to hurt them because they warned us. It doesn't matter anyway. They weren't lying. You drugged our food." Bloom replied. Sunny huffed with frustration and slumped back against the hospital bed.

"What were you trying to do? When you drugged the group?" Dr. Shah asked.

"I don't know." Sunny replied. 

"You don't know why you did it?" Dr. Shah asked.

"I was trying to get through to Nighty that Bloom wasn't good for him but the way I did it didn't make sense and it was stupid," Sunny said regretfully. 

"Why do you dislike Bloom so much?" Dr. Shah asked. Sunny opened his mouth to speak but seemed to think better of it and went quiet.

"I need your cooperation, Sunny." Dr. Shah insisted. 

"Because he's ugly. And he's violent. And he's mentally unstable." Sunny said with disdain. 

"I don't think you're innocent of the last two reasons. And I don't think the first reason is very mature. How is Bloom ugly? I think he's very handsome." 

"He's covered in cracks and holes and scars from head to toe. He's hideous." Sunny said scornfully. 

"But it's from my understanding that he didn't _choose_ for his brother to hurt him. He didn't _choose_ to be scarred. Why should he be hated for something that he couldn't and still can't control?" Dr. Shah reasoned.

"He cut his wrists! He did want it! He wanted to be ugly!" Sunny retorted.

"Bloom, when you hurt yourself, what were you trying to do?" Dr. Shah asked.

"Punish myself. I thought I deserved to be hurt even though I didn't want to be hurt. I wasn't trying to make myself ugly. And now I regret it because I didn't deserve to be punished." Bloom replied. Nighty patted his head with a smile. Silent praise for Bloom acknowledging that he didn't deserve what happened to him. Bloom pressed into the warm touch of Nighty's hand.

"So Sunny, I ask again. Why hate someone for something they can't control?" Dr. Shah asked. "Your looks don't make you a better person or make you successful at any activity or task. They don't make you loved or honest or hardworking. They don't make you... Anything. What is so important about looking perfect?" Sunny stared at him in disbelief. He stayed silent for several long moments as if to wait for Dr. Shah to say he was joking or to make some kind of exception. But, he didn't. He simply waited for Sunny's answer.

"Because no one will love you and you'll die alone and poor with no children to bury you." Sunny replied as if it were common sense.

"Well, that's just not true. Look at your brother and Bloom. They love each other. They protect each other. They're soul bonded. I'd say that's the start to a long, healthy relationship and a loving family, should they decide they want children." Dr. Shah said. "Don't you think?" Sunny didn't even consider the statement for a second. 

"I'll kill him before I'll let him marry my brother!" He hissed. Bloom didn't exactly feel threatened by the foolish remark. He was the one who put Sunny in that hospital bed after all. He'd do it again and ten times worse if he tried to take his Nighty away from him. He glared holes through Sunny's skull. Nighty hugged Bloom close by his side nonetheless. 

"I won't let you touch him. You won't hurt either of us ever again as long as I live." Nighty warned. Sunny seemed taken aback by Nighty's words. "I've given you all I had. I have nothing left to give. My patience for you has run out. You're childish. I'm sick of it. I'm finally happy and your first instinct is to tear that away from me. And for what? Because you don't like the way we look? I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to be your brother, I don't want to act like what you did was fine, I don't want to sit back and bite my tongue. If you continue like this, you'll damn well get what you deserve." Nighty finished. Sunny stared at him in shock. His mouth opened and closed but he didn't know what to say.

"Sorry just. It won't fix it. Too little too late. We're leaving. I'm done. It's hopeless. I hope you're happy with yourself." Nighty said before scooping Bloom up in his arms and walking toward the door. Dr. Shah nodded and followed the two lovers out of the room as Sunny stuttered uselessly. Bloom could hear him begin to sob as the door shut and the three of them stood outside.

"Out of all the patients I've treated, Sunny's case is the most peculiar. I haven't met many who contradicted themselves so completely. It seems his understanding of reality is extremely scattered..." Dr. Shah pondered softly.

"I can tell, just... I can't do this anymore. I've tried so hard to take care of him and be there for him but I'm tired. I can only do so much. He needs to figure this out on his own. I can't just keep holding his hand." Nighty said wearily. 

"I understand and I completely agree. I almost wonder if the best treatment for him would be for him to meet the consequences of his actions... I won't call either of you back to this place. You are free to visit if you change your mind, but I won't ask it of you." He said softly. "I'm proud of you both for how strong you are. You've been through a lot. I'm going to go wrap up this session with Sunny, but I hope you two get home safely." He finished. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye, thank you, sir," Bloom said.

"Yes, thank you. Have a good night." Night replied. Dr. Shah nodded with a smile before quietly walking back into Sunny's room and closing the door. Nighty sighed heavily before beginning to walk back towards the front desk. "I really wanted to say that maybe there was hope for him, but now I'm just disappointed."

"I'm sorry lovely..." Bloom said quietly as Nighty walked. He reached up and kissed Nighty's cheek and soothingly stroked his face. Nighty smiled at him gently before sniffling and blinking back tears.

"It's alright. We don't need him." Nighty said. Bloom kissed his cheek again before laying his head on Nighty's shoulder. Nighty signed them out at the front desk before peeling the visitor stickers off of their sweaters and tossing them in the garbage.

"Will you let me fix you?" Bloom asked tenderly.

"Fix me?" Nighty questioned.

Bloom pressed his palm over Nighty's ribcage, over Nighty's cracked soul. Nighty opened his mouth seemingly to reject the offer and dismiss it for Bloom's health before he quieted. He reconsidered. Bloom saw him think before changing his mind. 

"I trust you to do it. As long as you promise to stop if it's too much for you to handle." Nighty agreed. Bloom nodded and smiled lovingly at him. "I promise."


	20. Ssshhh, We’ll Talk About it Tomorrow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pedophilia mention, rape mention, abuse mention, death mention
> 
> Let me know if you think it needs more tags!

Bloom withdrew his mind from Nighty's soul and the thin crack sealed up with a small flash of pink magic. The excess light and color faded along with the scar. But, before he could turn to ask Nighty how he was feeling, he was met with Nighty's teeth clacking against his own in a needy kiss. The larger blue-green construct in Bloom's hand had swollen at some point during the healing session and was beginning to drip slick onto Bloom's hand, Nighty had warned him this might happen. He leaned into the kiss and began to stroke Midnight's soul and Nighty shuddered in response.

Soul swell syndrome wasn't common but also not exactly unheard of. Nighty had explained the severity of his to Bloom when their time together became more intimate. Nighty's soul would commonly swell in response to a strong surge of energy or emotion. Magic would rush through his soul in response to a sense of danger. His magic would sense the surge of emotion and energy and prepare to heal any wounds or damage only to have nothing to heal and nowhere to go. It built up in his soul. It was hot and painful. But, the most effective way to relieve it was soul sex. Stroking and massaging the swollen heart would help press out the excess magic inside. Bloom guessed that Nighty reliving his worst memory had triggered the episode and gently stroked Nighty's cheek with his free hand.

Bloom's fingers slid around on the slicked construct as he searched for any sensitive areas. He swiped his thumb through the crease at the top of Nighty's heart and Nighty keened in response as he shifted to lay over Bloom's body. Bloom focused on the area as he rubbed firmly against the tiny crease. Excess magic began to drip freely from the construct as Nighty rocked his pelvis against Bloom's. Bloom panted in response as he began to rock in tandem with Nighty's thrusts.

"Ssshhh, I've got you." Bloom cooed as Nighty let out a pitiful whine. Bloom allowed his magic to quickly drop into place and Nighty reluctantly pulled away long enough to remove and discard Bloom's pants. His hand dipped into the front of his own pajamas and rubbed urgently at his pubic symphysis. Bloom sat up to meet him and drag sweet little circles over Nighty's iliac crests. His hands wandered and massaged Midnight's hip joints, urging his magic to form. Bloom switched up his grip on Midnight's soul and gently licked its surface. Nighty let out a sweet, desperate moan in response and pulled his hand out of the crotch of his pants as his magic formed. He pushed his pants down and straddled Bloom's lap before grinding his wet cunt against Bloom's dick. Bloom moved to prepare him, summoning a few small tendrils and sliding them into Nighty's entrance. Even with their size difference, Bloom would never even dream of fucking Nighty without making sure he was good and well prepared. He was too afraid to catch on a dry spot or force an uncomfortable stretch.

Nighty rocked into the small tendrils as he panted. Bloom curled them slightly and pressed against Nighty's inner walls, searching. Nighty let out a small gasp after some experimenting and Bloom moved to slowly thumb his clit. After a few moments, Nighty stiffened and moaned as he came. Bloom gently rocked against Nighty's clit and g-spot, riding him through it as thick fluid trickled out of Nighty's soul and left blue-green trails down Bloom's arm. He slumped against Bloom after several long moments and Bloom dismissed the small tendrils. Nighty breathed heavily against Bloom's shoulder and Bloom waited patiently. Nighty's soul was still swollen, but he didn't want to force Nighty into something he didn't want to do. 

"When I... Get on top... Please don't touch me unless I say so, okay?" Nighty said shakily. Bloom nodded in response. "You tell me what you want me to do, I'll listen, I promise," Bloom assured him. Nighty nodded before sitting back up and grinding into Bloom's dick a few more times. He gently grasped Bloom's cock and lined himself up before slowly pressing himself down onto Bloom. Bloom held steady but couldn't help the groan of appreciation that escaped his lips. They had sex before, sure. But this was a first for both of them. 

Nighty experimentally swiveled his hips in Bloom's lap. Bloom simply huffed and moaned quietly as Nighty tested the waters. He forced his hips to stay still, biting his tongue. Nighty shifted his position over Bloom and suddenly keened as he found what he was looking for. Bloom shivered as Nighty's cunt clenched around him, his walls sucking him in. His hips twitched slightly but he forced them to still as Nighty began to bounce ever so slightly. Instead, he refocused his attention on Midnight's soul. 

Bloom worked over Nighty's soul with both hands, searching for sweet spots and laving over them with his tongue. Magic dripped freely from the construct and Nighty moaned his appreciation. But, this wasn't doing it for him. Bloom could tell. But, he kept his promise. He restrained from giving Midnight's body any more stimulation. This was for Nighty. There was no way he'd do something that would make him uncomfortable.

Nighty panted harshly as he shifted positions. His bouncing slowed and he groaned in frustration. "Bloom- I'm too tired. Please fuck me. Please..." he whined desperately. Bloom shifted underneath him, finding leverage as he drove upwards into Nighty with a grunt. "Fuck! Yes! Harder, please, oh stars, please!" Nighty begged. Bloom doubled down on his efforts. The positioning was awkward as he avoided touching Nighty as much as possible, keeping his hands busy with Nighty's soul. Nighty arched against him, keening as the change of angle pressed Bloom even harder against his g-spot. But it wasn't enough. He reached down and pressed two fingers against the side of his clit, rolling it in fast, slippery circles. 

Nighty came moments later as his soul burst with fluid. It spattered against Bloom's ribs as he fucked into Nighty's cunt as hard as he dared. He was close, oh so close. But, he held himself back by the skin of his teeth. This was for Nighty. He fucked Nighty through his orgasm before slipping out as Nighty pulled away. He thrust uselessly against the cool air a few times before cumming onto his own stomach with a groan. Nighty reacted quickly and moved to stroke Bloom's cock, jerking him through his orgasm until he twitched and shook with overstimulation.

"Thank you." Nighty murmured as he relaxed over Bloom and curled up next o him. Their ecto bodies dissipated with a trail of smoky magic as they cuddled up to each other and caught their breaths. 

"You okay?" Bloom asked softly. Nighty nodded in response.

"I just uhm. I don't think I liked that. Very much." Nighty said shyly.

"We don't ever have to do it again unless you just want to. I'm not gonna make you do something you don't like. I enjoy it a lot more when you're enjoying yourself." Bloom said reassuringly. Nighty relaxed at the statement before nodding. 

"I think I'd rather not." Nighty breathed. Bloom kissed his cheek before snuggling closer to him.

"Do you feel any better? Now that it's healed?" Bloom asked.

"Yes... Just... Also, feel a bit weird. After seeing Sunny like that again." Nighty replied.

"You wanna talk about it?" Bloom asked.

"He just... He looked really tired. I never realized it because he wasn't really... What I was paying the most attention to when it was happening. I never realized how tired he looked. Or how uncomfortable he seemed when Hajun walked back to him. It makes me think that maybe... He wasn't lying about what Mom and Dad did. They were greedy. It wouldn't be out of character for them to try to use us to get their hands on more money. That's how we died, after all." Nighty said distantly. He was there, talking to Bloom, but somehow it seemed like his mind was somewhere else.

"How you died?" Bloom asked.

"They purchased life insurance for Sunny and got house insurance. Then tried to burn the house down with him inside to collect the money. They got caught. They were rotting in jail the last I heard. But, I'm pretty sure they could have outlived the sentences they were given. With how long skeletons can live, anyway." Nighty explained. "They were only in their 40s when we died. Skeletons, where I'm from, can live over 1000 years. They could easily have at least another century to be horrible people."

"But... Sunny?" Bloom asked warily.

"I do... Remember him being bruised. Especially in weird places that it didn't make sense to be bruised when you had just fallen or something... I don't know why he lied about it when it was happening... If I had known, I would have tried to find somewhere for us to go. We were old enough to." Nighty wondered. "Even now, though. Remembering how uncomfortable he at least _looked_ I just... can't forgive him so easily. I would have rather died fighting than just sat back and watched him be raped." Nighty said quietly. "It's not like I didn't take a bunch of beatings myself..." 

Bloom considered this newest development. He was in no place to pass judgment. That was usually something that had been done for him. Something he was told before being given a code number from a book. A number that instructed him on the type of punishment the prisoner would be receiving. That's not to say he didn't have his own opinions and ideas about the person he was to execute. He had been reprimanded multiple times for drawing out the deaths of the more cruel or disgusting criminals that fell under his hands. 

But for Sunny, he felt uncertain. He felt like somewhere he must have some kind of redeeming quality. A valid reason for turning a blind eye to Nighty's suffering. That wasn't to say that he forgave him for what he put Midnight through. Just, Bloom felt there had to be some rhyme or reason to Sunny's behavior. That he was trying his best to do good but it didn't work as planned. He would just ask Sunny directly, but he was clearly too far gone mentally to explain it to Bloom in a way that made sense and wasn't speckled with insults or hatred. His hands twitched. He had to do something.

"Do you think that... That maybe Sunny was trying to stay with Hajun so he could give the money to you? So you could get away from your parents? Or go somewhere safe so people wouldn't hurt you anymore?" Bloom asked. Only Sunny could truly answer that question. But, it seemed to cause a realization to dawn on Nighty.

"They were engaged. For a few months. Where I'm from, you instantly gain access to your partner's funds when you marry. It's a marriage pool. Sunny had said he wanted to take a trip to Hung-sun after the wedding and have the post-ceremony there. That would mean they'd pay for the family to take the trip there. That would have... That would have given me a few hundred coins to start a new life if I didn't come home. I could have been safe but... Sunny would have had to go back to the village with Hajun..." Nighty realized. "He talked about the trip with me so much but I never... Realized he was..." Nighty paused. "... I need to call him. I need to see if that's what he meant. Oh my god... Sunny, you idiot." Nighty got up and swiftly grabbed his phone before dialing the hospital and asking for Sunny's room.

Bloom listened anxiously as he waited for Sunny to pick up. This whole situation was a mess. But, maybe. Just, maybe. There was a reason to not give up on Sunny just yet. Bloom heard a clicking sound as a nurse handed Sunny the phone. They spoke in their first language. Bloom could understand a few words here and there from his practice with the textbook, but most of his understanding came from Nighty's voice. His tones and emotions. At least, what little Bloom could understand of that.

He went from questioning, to relief, to sadness, regret, and grief. He could hear both brothers crying as Nighty smiled bitterly and glanced at Bloom before nodding. Bloom didn't need words to understand what he meant. Sunny had tried to free Nighty but had failed and self-sabotaged in the process. It didn't fix what he'd done. It didn't erase the day at the beach or the violence. It didn't excuse any of his behavior. But, it explained it in a way that gave them a sense of relief. Bloom smiled warmly and nodded back at him. 

"Sunny, you're an idiot." Nighty said softly.

"I know. I'm sorry." Sunny replied shakily. 

"It's okay. It''s gonna be okay..." Nighty said before mumbling out a few more words. The two brothers said their goodbyes before Nighty hung up the phone

"Nighty?" Bloom called softly. Nighty smiled at him before walking over to snuggle up with him once more.

"I'm okay." Midnight reassured him. Bloom smiled and nuzzled into his shoulder. "He's got a lot of work to do. But it's gonna be okay." Nighty continued. Bloom nodded and breathed a sigh of relief."I know we had dinner earlier but uhm... Do you want to go get a snack and play games for a while? I don't think I'm ready to sleep." Nighty asked.

"You're asking the bottomless hole if it wants to eat?" Bloom joked. Nighty snorted in response.

"Don't call yourself that- ohmygod!" He giggled.

"Why? It's accurate!" Bloom continued.

"It sounds lewd!" Nighty replied.

"It's only lewd if you make it lewd!" Bloom laughed. Nighty laughed with him as he stood up and began to pull his pajamas back on,

"Please just get dressed, dork." Nighty chuckled.

"Oh no, I was gonna walk downstairs in front of everyone in my birthday suit!" Bloom said sarcastically as he stood up and posed comically. Nighty wheezed with laughter as Bloom bent over and picked up his pajama pants before pulling them on. "Is the shirt really necessary, though?" Bloom said more seriously.

"Wh-j- Put a shirt on!" Nighty said with amusement and Bloom rolled his eyes. 

"It's just ribs, it's not like I'm sporting a massive rack!" Bloom complained.

"Yeah, a towel rack, maybe." Nighty joked. Bloom swatted at him playfully as they began to walk out of the room. "Whatcha wanna eat? And don't say mustard." Nighty said.

"Soul reaper sauce," Bloom replied.

"Don't. Say that either. Condiments are not food. They accompany food. Besides, I'm still concerned that you don't experience spice in the same way as other people." Nighty said as they walked downstairs.

"It's like candy!" Bloom replied.

"It's not! It's really not! Spicy means it burns! It hurts!" Nighty said in disbelief. 

"Then why do we eat it?!" Bloom asked incredulously. 

"Because we are _stupid_." Nighty replied. Bloom giggled in response.

"Like. Capsaicin. The spicy chemical. Things that don't digest things purely through magic like skeletons? They can't digest capsaicin! It's not! Edible! But we eat it! Peppers developed spice as a self-defense mechanism so that animals wouldn't eat it! And then we came along and domesticated peppers for the quality that is supposed to make things not want to eat it! So we could eat it!" Nighty rambled. Bloom bit back a laugh at Nighty's visible distress.

"Can I have the sauce if I put it on a sandwich?" Bloom asked. Nighty sighed and looked at him lovingly.

"Yes, as much as it still disturbs me that you are eating it, you can put soul reaper sauce on your sandwich." Nighty said with visible discomfort. "Just please don't kiss me after you eat it. My lips and tongue burned for hours after last time."

"We don't have lips," Bloom replied.

"You know what I meant." Nighty chuckled. Bloom grinned at him affectionately as he pulled open the door to the fridge with the swipe of a key card. 

"You want a sammy too?" Bloom asked. 

"Ehhhh, I think I'm gonna get a cup of rice cakes instead. You need anything from the pantry?" Nighty asked.

"Plantain chips and a jar of cheese dip?" Bloom asked. Nighty grimaced slightly. 

"Are you pregnant or something? You eat the weirdest shit." Nighty replied as he walked into the pantry. 

"Don't jinx it, then I'll eat even more horrible shit when I am pregnant!" Bloom called over his shoulder as he began to layer sliced chicken on a slice of bread. 

"YOU WANT TO HAVE KIDS?" Nighty said with shock as he poked his head out of the pantry.

"Well, yeah? We don't have to if you don't want to. I won't force that on you." Bloom said nervously. 

"Can we have more than one?" Nighty said unexpectedly. His eye lights had turned into bright cyan stars. Bloom smiled at his sudden enthusiasm. 

"Yeah, we can have more than one. Ya doof." Bloom replied before slapping an unholy amount of cheese slices on his sandwich. Nighty had never looked this excited the entire time Bloom had known him.

"When? When do you want to try?" Nighty asked as he bounced up and down slightly.

"Uhm... Maybe we should settle down and get married first? We've only been together for like. 2 months, Cuddle-fish." Bloom said awkwardly.

"True. That is a thing." Nighty giggled as he calmed down slightly. "That's... A lot of cheese. Can you fit that in your mouth?" Nighty asked as Bloom topped the sandwich with a slice of bread.

"Yeah, but only because I'm a freak of nature," Bloom replied. Nighty wheezed with laughter.

"What game you wanna play?" Bloom asked 

"What about the dragon one we talked about?" Nighty asked.

"The one where you fight dragons or the one where you are a dragon?" Bloom questioned.

"The one where you are a dragon. It was called Piro I think?" Nighty replied.

"Yeah, Piro! I've been wanting to play that one for years! That came out when I was like... 17?" Bloom recalled. "I watched Papyrus play it after he did his homework. I was always too busy to play when he was done, though."

"He wouldn't let you play with him?" Nighty asked.

"No, he didn't want to spend time with me most of the time. That's how I usually got away with not eating. He would get mad if I sat at the table with him." Bloom said awkwardly.

"He was just walking all over you from day one, wasn't he?" Nighty asked.

"It wasn't like that when he was younger. He didn't get that way until he'd been in public school for a year or so. I remember hearing his friends calling me pedo after I put a band-aid on his knee after he fell. He told me I wasn't allowed to hug him or anything anymore that night." Bloom recalled. Now that he had said it... It did seem pretty much like Papyrus had his way from the beginning. 

_Maybe I shouldn't have spoiled him so much..._

"I mean, I guess he might have been a bit old by that point for you to be putting a band-aid on for him. But, I don't see how that would be gross?" Nighty wondered.

"I don't know, honestly. I got accused of that a lot but I never touched him or said anything to him in that kind of light. I was so nervous about people actually calling the police that when he had his first heat, I just borrowed a book on heat care from the library and gave it to him. I didn't know how to teach him about it without making it weird and I didn't know anything about it in the first place anyway." Bloom said.

"That's just weird." Nighty replied.

"Yeah. Maybe that's why got so violent with me? Someone got the idea in his head that I hurt him?" Bloom considered.

"Maybe. But only he knows and I don't think it's worth asking." Nighty said before stacking their food on a couple of trays. 

"You're probably right," Bloom replied. He followed Midnight upstairs and into his room before carefully closing the door behind him. Nighty sat down the trays on stands in front of the couch as Bloompulled out the Piro disk and popped it into the console. The console and TV turned on and Bloom sat down as the opening theme began to play. "Aww, fuck yes!" Bloom said with satisfaction as he picked up a controller. 

"You really had to die just to get to have your basic needs met and have fun." Nighty said with disbelief.

"Grillby was on about that the other day. I always said I'd sleep when I was dead. And then I texted the group chat to say 'sorry, I was sleeping, what's up?' And he goes 'oh my god you really meant it when you said you'd sleep when you were dead.' I was fucking laughing and apparently, everyone else was deadpan serious. It was really awkward!" Bloom said as he pressed the 'Start New Game' button. 

"That's so bad-" Nighty giggled. "I never talk there and I feel bad about it. You invited me but I just said hi and then ghosted everyone." 

"They don't bite! And they'll let you talk about anything. Undyne once let me go on an hour-long tirade about alcohol." Bloom laughed.

"How do you go on an hour-long rant about alcohol?" Nighty asked.

"I was mad because everyone always has to ask why you don't drink when you don't want alcohol. Like 'Are you an alcoholic? Are you trying to get sober?' And it's just no! I just don't like it! It's like someone asking me if I'm addicted to butter! What if I just don't like butter? Why is it such a big deal? That I don't want butter on my bread?" Bloom rambled. Nighty snorted with laughter as he popped a spicy rice cake into his mouth.

"You're right, you're right. But, weird question. Why _don't_ you like alcohol?" Nighty asked.

"Because it tastes bad! It tastes like paint thinner and smells just as good!" Bloom complained. "And also I could never afford to be drunk or have a hangover and I didn't exactly have a parent to teach me how to 'drink with the responsibility' or whatever."

"Okay, fair. _But._ , would you be willing to try it if I could make something that wouldn't knock you out and wasn't horrible?" Nighty asked. Bloom squinted at him with suspicion. 

"I'm listening..." Bloom replied.

"Boozy birthday cake milkshake?" Nighty asked. 

"Oh my god... That's a thing?" Bloom asked.

"Yes and I can make you one." Nighty replied. Bloom took a sip of "Chibi's Chunky Cherry Jelly Cube Drink!" Before replying.

"I will try it... But if it smells like paint thinner..." Bloom trailed off.

"It doesn't, Fitti confirmed. She had the same problem with alcohol." Nighty replied before finishing off his bowl of rice cakes and hitting 'Done' on the character creator in-game. The opening sequence began to play and Bloom watched it intently. The two dragon characters they created bounced around playfully as they entered a castle. A much older and larger dragon began to explain the game controls and mechanics as Bloom and Nighty chatted.

"So it's a puzzle game?" Nighty asked.

"Yeah, a co-op puzzle game. And the villain is pretty hot if I remember correctly." Bloom said.

"Oh my god, now I can't wait to see who the villain is." Nighty said.

"They're a woman I think? So maybe not your cup of tea." Bloom replied.

"Hey, I may be gay but I can still appreciate a beautiful woman!" Nighty said. Bloom laughed in return.

"I'm a degenerate. If you put someone in front of me, there's a good chance I'll simp for them somehow even if it's just platonically." Bloom joked.

"Mmm, you know what's funny, though?" Nighty asked.

"What?"

"Sneak is the **only** straight person in this house." Nighty stated. Bloom wheezed with laughter.

"Is that why he acts so weird when he sees me shirtless?" Bloom asked.

"Yes! Surprisingly, yes! It makes him uncomfortable to see another man in any state of undress! And Fitti once had to explain to him that him emphasizing that he was straight so often and so much just made him seem like a closeted gay in denial!" Nighty chuckled.

"So he has a fragile masculinity or something?" Bloom giggled.

"Yeah! He's hilarious." Nighty wheezed.

"How badly would it break him if I wore a dress?" Bloom asked.

"I don't know, honestly. Do you have a dress?" Nighty asked.

"Yeah, I have a bunch but I was scared to wear them and have everyone be weird about it," Bloom said nervously.

"No one is gonna be weird about it except probably Cloak and **maybe** Sneak. I have no idea how he'd react to it." Nighty said as he fiddled with his controller and grinned as he watched the two dragons on the screen begin to glide down from a cliff and through a canyon.

"Now I want to wear one just so I can see how Sneak reacts to it!" Bloom exclaimed. "I saw one in the closet and I've been itching to put it on since I saw it. It's not really a dress but it's cute!" Bloom said. 

"You should wear it tomorrow! When we get dressed to go see Angel!" Nighty said excitedly.

"YESSS! I know she'll love it." Bloom replied.

"BE QUIET, WE'RE TRYING TO SLEEP!" Sneak shouted from him and Fitti's bedroom. Bloom and Nighty bit their tongues and went silent before turning the volume on the TV down a few notches and focusing on the game.


	21. Littermates and Soulmates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Abuse mention
> 
> (Sorry for the large time gap between posting chapters, life is busy right now!)

"Oh my god, that's adorable." Nighty said as he watched Bloom twirl happily in his baby blue skirt. The pleated skirt was held up by a matching pair of suspenders with paw-print clasps. He wore a flowy white t-shirt tucked into the waistband along with a pair of colorful pink and blue sneakers to match. It wasn't something he could have gotten away with wearing in his home universe. It would have been considered too child-like or niche to be seen wearing on the street. But, damn, was it comfortable. And, just his style!

Bloom spun to a stop and bounced over to Midnight before giving him a big hug. "Thank you Cuddle-fish," Bloom said with a wide grin. Nighty patted his head lovingly before stooping to plant a chaste kiss on his forehead. 

"It's no problem, baby bird. You ready to go?" Nighty asked as he pulled away and began walking towards the bedroom door.

"Ready to go!" Bloom confirmed before picking up a messenger bag and following Nighty out of the door. He heard Fitti and Sneak chatting on the couch downstairs and grinned mischievously at Nighty.

"We have time to stop and see what he thinks if you want to. At least, I hope that's what that gremlin grin is for." Nighty chuckled. Bloom playfully stuck his tongue out at him as he skipped down the stairs.

"Oh, hey Bloomy! Nice skirt!" Fitti called over the back of the couch. Sneak casually waved at him with a smile and looked down at his phone before suddenly snapping to attention and looking back at Bloom. His expression was both unreadable and extremely amusing. Bloom snickered at him as Nighty walked over to him with a giggle.

"Thanks, Fitti!" Bloom chirped. "Sneak, what's wrong?" 

"Huh?" Sneak grunted with confusion. 

"Honey, oh my god-" Fitti laughed. "He's asking what's wrong. You're making a weird face." 

"Nothin', Nothing's wrong. You look cute!" Sneak said before choking on his own words. "But not in the gay way-" He continued awkwardly.

"Sneak, you're doing it again. It's fine to say he's cute. No one thinks you're gay until you start being weird about being straight." Fitti said with a roll of her eyes. Sneak simply blushed and puffed out his cheeks slightly before sinking into his seat and hiding his face behind his ball cap. The group chuckled at Sneak before Bloom and Nighty walked toward the door.

"You sure you're not gonna get cold dressed like that?" Nighty asked as he pulled his scarf over his face.

"I used to walk around in Snowdin in basketball shorts, I'll be fiiine!" Bloom said casually. Nighty smirked as he opened the portal. Bloom walked into the Canada cold with grace, almost completely unaffected by the active blizzard blowing through. "You scare me." Nighty said as he leaned on Bloom's shoulder. 

"It's just snow!" Bloom shot back with a giggle. 

"Says the guy who said 'it's just a soul reaper pepper!' before eating like 16 of them without even sweating." Nighty scoffed.

"They taste good!" Bloom replied. 

"They taste like someone decided to cultivate fire as a food." Nighty said with visible discomfort as they crossed over a particularly slippery patch of ice. He was getting better at traversing the cold weather, but not without the support of Bloom's shoulder. "Did you bring Fluffy Bunny?" Nighty asked. Bloom nodded as they began to cross the street toward Angel's house.

"I have him in the bag! I double-checked. I was nervous about it. I don't think I could have gotten through the last appointment without him." Bloom said. Angel always did her best to keep the setting calm, but some subjects that needed to be explored were just very sensitive. 

Nighty knocked on Angel's door before rubbing his arms. "I'm fucking freezing! I don't know how you're out here in a skirt and a t-shirt!" Nighty mumbled. His bones rattled lightly as he shivered. Angela opened the door and quickly ushered Bloom and Nighty inside. 

"Bloom, you silly goose! You'll freeze out there like that!" Angelica scolded as she closed the door behind them. "You're not even shivering! Are you that used to it?" She asked in disbelief.

"Snowdin had a blizzard every week. This is normal weather for me." Bloom replied. Angelica poured both of them a steaming mug of hot chocolate before making her way upstairs. Nighty sipped the drink eagerly as he sat down in the living room. Bloom followed her upstairs with a smile.

"How have the nightmares been?" Angel asked as Bloom sat down on the couch with Fluffy Bunny and rested his chin on the plushie's soft head.

"Getting better! They're not an every night thing now. At least, that's what Nighty tells me. He still watches closely to make sure I don't have them." Bloom answered. "I asked him about them and he says they're varying a lot more. Some of them are about my dad now, too." 

"Did he say what was happening in the dreams?" Angelica asked.

"One of them was about when I lost the sight in my right eye. The other one was about a different experiment he did that... I don't remember what the point of it was. He kept me in a pitch-black room for over a month. They took extra measures to make sure that no light got in for any reason at any time." Bloom explained.

"That's... Very strange. How old were you? When that happened?" Angel questioned.

"It was before I lost the sight in this eye...". Bloom recalled as he pointed at his blind eye. "So... Less than 5 years old."

"Do you remember anything strange about being in the dark for so long?" 

"Uhm... I think the first thing was not being able to tell what time it was. I started sleeping a lot more. Or at least, it seemed like it? I didn't feel like I stayed awake for long. I thought I remembered my brother visiting me but after I got out I realized he hadn't been there the whole time I was inside. And after I got out, the light hurt really badly. That was why he injected... whatever that was into my eyelight. To fix it. But it didn't work. I don't remember what fixed my other eye light. I remember him saying he was going to do it and leading me somewhere, but it's like the memory just cuts off when he opens the door." Bloom remembered. 

"This may seem like an odd question, but do you remember if you had any pets or other monsters or... Even if you were interacted with regularly by anyone? Specifically physical affection?" Angelica asked.

"I read my files before... I remember it saying that I wasn't supposed to be interacted with aside from being bottle fed or bathed. The first experiment that was documented was seeing if... Raising a child in some weird way would make them independent or mature faster? It must have not worked because they ended it when I was 6 or something." 

"And you mentioned that for a few months you and Papyrus shared a twin mattress because you couldn't afford another bed yet? And that you thought one of the main things that Nighty does that calms you down the most is letting you listen to his soul beat?" Angelica questioned.

"Yeah... Why?" Bloom asked.

"This is something common in patients who have canine or feline monster genes. But, it generally happens when a monster genetically meant to have litter mates doesn't experience physical affection in developmental years. It causes a lot of symptoms later in life but mainly it's anxiety-inducing and can cause feelings of loneliness. It's common for someone who has experienced this to become very quickly attached to anyone who fills in the gap they had in their childhood. So, it could... Definitely explain how you might still be very attached to Papyrus and specifically remember him for how he was when you would have shared a bed." Angel guessed. "But, it gives me another idea for your nightmares. There are therapy aids you can get for this, the most common one used is a little box you would put inside a stuffed animal. It simulates the sound of a soul beat. I would like you to try it! It might help you a lot, even if it's just something that helps you calm down. But, I also want to see if it might help you mentally with working out your attachment to Papyrus." Angelica explained. 

Bloom glanced down at Fluffy Bunny. He could sew that into him himself. He knew how to do that easily. He nodded and looked back up at Angelica with a smile. "I could try that! I know how to sew. I just have to find one." Bloom agreed. 

"You would have to order it. But, usually, when that happens the Void just gave whatever you would need to whoever needed it. If you can't, just let me know and it can be shipped here. But, speaking of, have you gotten any messages from the Void?" She asked. Bloom furrowed his brow before picking up his phone and scrolling through his messages. There was a new message from the Void, seemingly from moments ago.

"There is. How did you know?" Bloom asked.

"I have contact with the Void. Just to let them know if I think someone can handle a mission. But, that's my last question for today unless you have something else you want to talk about after. But, I was asked if you would be ready to go on your first mission and what you would be doing." Angelica paused before continuing.

"I think you're ready to go for your first whenever you personally feel ready. But, I would like for you to keep a journal while you are there. Don't feel pressured to go just because the Void wants you to. This is important because it's your first mission and it will help you discover and define your purpose as well as your new abilities. But, it's not entirely time-sensitive," Angelica explained. Bloom opened the message as she gestured toward the phone. Bloom skimmed over the message. His anxiety grew as he realized what was going on and what he would eventually have to do.

"They want me to... Take care of Papyrus? Again?" Bloom asked.

"Not forever. Just until he gets his new leg. Which, right now he can't do because he keeps burning all his bridges." Angelica said. It was clear even she was uncomfortable with the idea. But, this was a weird situation. Normal rules don't always apply when you're a god. Bloom nodded and tucked his phone back into his pocket. 

"I guess... Makes sense that I'd have to go back to where this started to figure out where it's going..." Bloom wondered. 

"That... Does seem to be a common theme from what I've heard. What do you think about seeing your brother again?" Angelica asked.

"Nervous. The text says Nighty is supposed to come with me so I know he won't be able to hurt me. At least, not in a way that matters. But, I'm also nervous to see what Nighty is going to think about the state of things. There's no way Papyrus would have been able to... Do the necessary renovation it would take to sanitize my old room and the shed and everything... It... Probably still smells like old blood and dust in there. Nighty isn't going to take that well." Bloom said. He felt distant from the present as he thought back on the state of the house. "Part of me wonders how well I'll be able to take being back there. It's probably not so different from the day I died." 

"Do you think you'll be able to tell him no?" Angelica asked.

"I think... In this state of mind. And knowing Nighty will be there to help protect me. I could tell him no." Bloom said. "But, I'm still not sure. I'm still scared of him." Angelica nodded as she considered the statement. 

"Just remember, Nighty is there with you. It's my understanding that Papyrus can't move around on his own right now because of other injuries he has aside from his leg. If he scares you or makes you uncomfortable, you can leave the room or the house for a while. You don't have to stay there and let him tear you apart." Angelica reminded him. Bloom nodded and snuggled into Fluffy Bunny. 

"I think that's all for today unless you want to talk about anything else?" Angelica paused and Bloom shook his head in response before she continued. "Very good. You're doing very, hun! I'm proud of you! Let's go see if Nighty fell asleep again. It was quite interesting to get him awake again last time!" Angelica chuckled. Bloom giggled and followed her downstairs.

Sure enough, Nighty had dozed off after finishing his hot cocoa. He sat on the couch in front of the fireplace. He was snoring softly and Bloom grinned at the tiny noise. He only seemed to do that when he fell asleep sitting up or in some weird position in bed. Bloom found it rather endearing. He trotted up to Midnight and gently stroked his face in an attempt to begin waking him up. But, Nighty didn't budge in the slightest. "Nightyyy~" Bloom cooed before ever so slightly shaking Nighty's shoulder. Nighty hummed in annoyance and furrowed his brow in his sleep. So, he wasn't that deeply asleep. Bloom smirked and leaned in to whisper into the side of Nighty's skull.

"I'll give you a special treat when we get home if you get up~," Bloom whispered temptingly as he gave one of Nighty's sensitive ribs a gentle stroke through the material of his coat. Nighty instantly blushed and sat upright, blinking in surprise at Bloom's words. Bloom chuckled and slid out of Nighty's lap before making his way toward the door. "Come on, star shine! We gotta get home!" Bloom called over his shoulder. Midnight followed eagerly in his footsteps as Angel chuckled knowingly behind them.


	22. Snowd-In. With an Ass-Hole!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Horror scene, blood, rot, puking, force-feeding.
> 
> Let me know if you think it needs more tags!

Nighty let out an anxious hum as he watched Bloom fold and pack clothes. "Are you sure you're ready for this?" He questioned.

"I'm never really gonna be ready to see Bo- I mean, Papyrus again. But, there's no better time to go back than now. I feel like I can handle it, I think." Bloom said as he folded one last shirt and tucked it into one of the pack's pockets. He zipped it closed before hoisting it up by one of the straps and resting it over his shoulder. "Ready to go?" Bloom said and peered up at Midnight. 

"I... Guess so. If you are..." Nighty replied before picking up his own pack and reluctantly following Bloom downstairs. 

The house was unusually silent for once. Everyone seemed to have places to be after breakfast that day. Glaze and Zero had gone to spend time alone as a couple. Cloak was at some kind of outpatient therapy center. Fitti, Sneak, and Cozy were tasked with beginning the process of bringing Sunny home. Somehow, knowing the house was empty made it easier for Bloom to leave. Maybe it was the lack of open unsureness in Bloom's ability to actually handle seeing his brother again. Let alone, seeing the inside of his old house. House. It definitely wasn't home anymore. He had that to look forward to, coming home after all this mess.

Bloom looked up at Nighty and eyed his scarf. A soft reddish glow fell on the loosely hung piece of fabric as Bloom tightened it slightly with his magic. Nighty chuckled at the soft gesture and followed Bloom out of the door. "Wasn't it winter there months ago? It has to be warmer by now, right?" Nighty asked.

"No, Snowdin is _always_ cold! It's kind of in the name. _snowed-in_?" Bloom joked. Well, almost joked. It was mostly the truth.

"I still don't see how it can snow underground." Nighty said skeptically.

"I'd explain it but that's probably something they taught in schools," Bloom replied as Nighty opened the portal and a harsh wind blew frost across their faces. It burned in a strange way and Nighty hissed before rubbing his sockets. 

"Right. You never went to school..." Nighty mumbled before leaning on Bloom's shoulder. Bloom stepped through the portal and took in his surroundings. Another harsh gust of wind blew snow and the scent of pine trees in his face. They were in Snowdin woods.

"I never went to school but I still know what it looks like when a blizzard is rolling in. We need to get to the house or we won't be able to get inside." Bloom said as he began to lead Nighty down the side of the road. 

"Are you sure about this? We can't open portals inside houses. It would tear them apart. If we get snowed in that house, we're stuck here for a while." Nighty asked nervously.

"Blizzards are kind of a weekly occurrence. It's as good of a time as any to go now. We'd probably have the same luck any other time." Bloom replied. Snowdin quickly came into view before Bloom slid slightly against a strong gust of wind. Nighty grabbed Bloom to steady him until that particular gust died down before they continued. 

"How in the hell did you make it so long in Snowdin without falling in this kind of weather?" Nighty cursed softly. 

"A few bumps and bruises never killed anyone," Bloom replied. "You get used to it."

"I don't think I want to get used to it-" Nighty hissed as another wave of wind sent a cloud of frost into their faces. Bloom chuckled in reply before leading Nighty up the old driveway to his former home. The two waded through a deep patch of snow as they made their way toward the door. The front of the house clearly hadn't been shoveled in a while.

Bloom dug through the snow on the front porch before pulling up the edge of the welcome mat and picking up a key. He unlocked the door after banging on the chilled mechanism a few times. The lock had needed to be replaced a long time ago. It always froze up during particularly cold days. It would have been a cheap job. But, Bloom wondered now if maybe Papyrus got some kind of enjoyment out of hearing Bloom struggle to get inside. 

The two lovers gagged as soon as the door opened. Bloom quickly covered his nasal aperture with his sleeve before leading Nighty inside. The interior of the house smelled horrible. It smelled like...

"Smells like death in here." Nighty complained. Bloom nodded slowly and eyed the bedroom doors upstairs warily. There was no sign that Papyrus had left but he was also being very quiet considering Bloom had not been very stealthy about unlocking the door.

"He probably can't get to the kitchen right now. It's probably rotting food or something." Bloom replied. He sat his pack down next to the leather couch and walked into the kitchen fully prepared to grab a pair of dish gloves and start throwing out whatever was making such an awful smell. Only, there was no obvious cause for it.

There were a few items here and there that were no longer safe to eat, but nothing so far beyond rancid to be smelling so... Well... Rancid. The smell, now that he thought of it, didn't even seem to be coming from the kitchen. Nighty seemed to notice this at about the same time and glanced sideways at the stairs. "Are you sure... He's alive?" Nighty asked.

"Monsters don't rot. They dust. He wouldn't smell like that. And he doesn't have any pets, at least not that I... Knew of?" Bloom replied. He began tip-toeing up the stairs. "It is... Stronger up here, though." Bloom replied before trying to swallow another gag. That's when he noticed it. His old bedroom door was slightly open. Monsters don't rot, but blood does. And, there was plenty of old blood in there. He pulled the door shut and walked to the linen closet to get a towel to stuff under the edge of the door. Something, anything to seal the smell inside. 

"What the hell is in there?" Nighty asked. 

"It's my old room. Monsters don't rot but they still bleed. The smell is probably from the blood in the carpet. That whole room is probably some kind of biohazard at this point," Bloom said before beginning to stuff the towel under the door. "I doubt anyone is going to help him tear everything out and sanitize-"

"Stop." Nighty ordered. Bloom froze and looked at him in confusion. Nighty had never spoken in such a... Dark tone before. It would have been threatening if Bloom didn't already know that Midnight would never hurt him. 

"What's wrong?" Bloom asked. 

"I need to see this." Nighty replied. Bloom stared at him. He was baffled. 

"Why? You know what happened?" Bloom asked. Some part of him felt like Nighty definitely should not see this. That there was no good reason to see it. The damage had been done and there was no reversing it. 

"I saw what happened from your perspective. You said yourself you weren't... with it... At the end. Your nightmares showed Papyrus but everything around you was blurred. You responded to and perceived things in a way where it's hard to always understand what's happening. I want to help you more with what happened... A lot of us at the house do... But a lot of us don't understand how far it actually went. Angel needs to know too..." Nighty said awkwardly. It was clear that he didn't want to push Bloom into this, but it was also clear that... There might be a good reason for him to see after all.

Bloom sighed and pulled the towel out and tossed it to the side. He grabbed the door handle but paused for a moment. "There's not a light bulb in there. Do you want to use flashlights or do you want me to get a bulb out of the closet?" Bloom asked. 

"There's... not even a light in there?" Nighty asked.

"No. He taped over the window too." Bloom explained.

"Let's get the light bulb. I want to be able to see it properly." Nighty said. Nighty let himself into the room. He winced slightly when the carpet made a strangely crispy sound. Bloom felt his tail tuck between his legs as he grabbed a couple of light bulbs from the nearby closet and followed Nighty into the dark room. Nighty felt along the ceiling until he felt the light fixture before stopping. Bloom bumped into him in the dark and stopped. The two fumbled around for a moment before they were able to blindly exchange a light bulb. There was a moment of silence before Bloom could hear the faint squeaking sound of the light bulb screwing in. He walked back to the doorway and felt around until he found the light switch and flipped it on.

He was going to joke about how many skeletons it takes to change a light bulb, but it suddenly felt like the issue at hand was far too serious to even try lightening the mood. This was... Far beyond a crime scene. It looked more like something out of one of those horrible slasher films. For a moment, the gravity of what had happened to Bloom was lost on him. He was more busy wondering how he had survived that long after losing this much blood rather than how he had lost all that blood in the first place. 

Most of it was dried and crusted on the carpet in the center of the room. Where he used to sleep. The chain that had kept him prisoner was still bolted to the floor and the shock collar that had accompanied it was lazily tossed to the side. The blood had seeped into the fibers and made that area strangely hard. The dry walls were spattered here and there but mostly full of holes. The only thing that seemed mostly untouched was the ceiling. 

Another large strain on the ground drew Nighty's attention to the bathroom door on the side of the room. A place where Bloom had been dragged plenty enough times to leave a trail. Bloom handed Nighty the second light bulb and watched as he entered the bathroom. After several long moments, he could hear the second light bulb being screwed into place. He waited a few seconds before flipping the light switch again.

This seemed to be where the smell was actually coming from. The bathtub was still half-filled with bloody water. The plug had been pulled but something inside the drain pipe was preventing the foul water from draining. Keeping the blood from drying seemed to have made it go rancid and the moisture retained in the room had allowed mold and who knows what else to start growing inside. This place really was a biohazard. 

Very suddenly, Nighty turned and threw up into the toilet, Bloom walked over and tried to soothingly rub his back as he looked around the room. It definitely was worse than he remembered. There wasn't any way to sugar coat it now. There wasn't a way to lighten the mood. Everything about this place was rotten right down to the distorted music that filled the old bedroom. 

Music was a large part of monsters' lives here. The collection of monsters' magic tended to leave a lingering imprint of their presence. That's why places like Snowdin had something like their own theme song that played indefinitely. The way that monsters felt and the emotions behind their intentions fueled that song. Even small homes had their own themes. Even... Some rooms.

Bloom's room had started off with a song that was calm, relaxing, and somewhat sad. But now, the song it played was distorted. It had no pattern or set rhythm. It was like a glitched track or a skipping record. Above all else, it was creepy and somehow made Bloom feel even sicker as he consciously listened to it. The imprint of all the emotions felt in this room, the imprint of what happened here, the imprint of... everything. It would last a long time. This song would be here for a long time. 

That song probably wouldn't change until the bedroom and bathroom were gutted. The pipes were unclogged. The rooms were sanitized. The flooring replaced. The walls replaced. And even after all that, someone would have to move in and pretend nothing bad happened here. Someone would have to move in and occupy this room long enough to shift the magic back to something more positive. Bloom doubted anyone would even want to try with such a terrible song filling the room. 

Nighty wiped his mouth off with his sleeve and noticed Bloom staring blankly at a bloody object on the ground. He looked down at it and noticed that it was a tooth. It was strange. It should have dusted a long time ago. But, it remained. Nothing about this place was right. And, even worse, Bloom was still staring. Unmoving. Probably lost in some old memory that he never wanted to remember. Nighty gently picked up Bloom and carried him out of the room. He had seen what he needed to see. He flipped off both light switches on the way out before kicking the door shut and stuffing the towel under the door. 

"Bloom? Baby Bird? You with me?" Nighty asked quietly. Bloom remained unresponsive for a few moments before snapping back to reality at the sound of a large thud and Papyrus cursing and yelling. Bloom quickly dropped himself to the ground and froze for a moment before remembering that Papyrus couldn't actually chase him right now let alone manage to get his hands on Bloom. Bloom straightened up and hesitantly stepped toward Papyrus' door. 

Papyrus was yelling but Bloom couldn't understand him. Whether it was because he was terrified or if it was because Papyrus was yelling so loudly that he couldn't be understood, Bloom didn't know. What he did know, is he was here supposedly to take care of Papyrus. And, from the sound of it, he had fallen. Bloom glanced back at Nighty and found him following close behind. He took a deep breath and opened the door.

Sure enough, Papyrus was on the floor. No nurse was in sight. He continued yelling in rage for a few moments before going quiet after realizing just who he was yelling at. For once in his life, Papyrus seemed to be at a loss for words. The two brothers simply stared at each other while Bloom waited for Papyrus to inevitably continue yelling. He almost thought to speak, but some part of him still felt trapped inside the idea of 'do not speak unless spoken to'. 

Papyrus remained quiet. This was strange to Bloom. Papyrus had never done this in his entire life, why start now? He tested the waters and moved forward just a few inches. Papyrus instantly lashed out with one of his arms, attempting to grab Bloom's leg. Bloom dodged him quickly and watched as Nighty pinned Papyrus down. Papyrus was putting up a pretty good fight for someone still healing from severe physical damage, though. After a few moments, he rolled on top of Midnight and a spark of intent flashed in Bloom's sockets. 

The usually passive echo flowers that trailed under Bloom's feet surged forward and wrapped around Papyrus before dragging him across the room. Bloom watched as Papyrus was forced into his bed by the flowers and seemingly bound in place. He continued to struggle for several long moments before giving up. The tendrils of the echo flowers creaked and groaned as they settled snugly into place. Bloom had not been in control of that whatsoever. But, the intent was enough. That was the weird thing about monsters' magic. It's all about intent.

"FUCK YOU!!! FUCKYOUFUCKYOUFUCKYOU-" Papyrus screeched before a curl of echo flowers wrapped around his jaw and muffled the stream of curses. 

"Nighty? You okay?" Bloom asked. Nighty nodded and he sighed with relief. 

"Just a scratch." Nighty replied before getting up and brushing himself off. He eyed the echo flowers wrapped around Papyrus as they gave another groan. Papyrus began to struggle again but remained entrapped inside the woven plants.

"I guess... I can do that now?" Bloom said awkwardly. Nighty nodded as he looked around the room. 

Almost nothing had changed in Papyrus' bedroom ever since he was a child. Even when he grew too tall to reasonably sleep in it, he refused to let go of his old race car bed. His shelves were still lined with action figures. He still had posters hung all over the walls and a collection of comic books. He even still used the very same old and clunky desktop computer. Bloom had never been able to give him the best, but he had tried. Nighty, however, seemed even further disgusted by the state of Papyrus' room.

"I really thought if he was the royal guard leader that he would have at least... Grown up a bit at some point?" Nighty said uncomfortably.

"I mean... I kind of ended up doing the same thing back home?" Bloom said awkwardly. 

"I don't think having a collection of stuffed animals equates to... Still sleeping in a race car bed even though it's clearly not long enough for how tall I am." Nighty said. Bloom looked at Papyrus again. He hadn't fit on the bed in years. He always had to lay scrunched up on his side to sleep on it. 

"I think there's a difference between childhood comfort and not... Realizing when you need to grow out of something." Nighty continued. Papyrus growled from behind the gag of flowers.

Nighty was probably right. Papyrus had acted pretty much the same way since he was small. He never grew out of his awkward or immature behaviors. Bloom could probably blame that on himself somehow, but he didn't try. He'd done his best all the way to the end. And, as Angel had explained, raising a child should have never been Bloom's responsibility when he had still been a child himself. 

Even now, Bloom felt like he himself was still a child. He'd had a little guidance here and there in his younger years, sure. But, he'd never actually had someone to tell him right and wrong. He just kind of had to figure it out. But, in a world that's kill or be killled, how much can you really figure out on your own? It felt like he'd just learned how to survive, not how to be a good person.

"Baby bird?" Nighty said with concern. Bloom looked up at him before snapping back to reality once more. He shook his head as if to clear it before noticing the scratch on Nighty's face. It wasn't deep. It hadn't even really bled.

"We need to clean that," Bloom said, pointing at Nighty's face.

"I don't-" Nighty started before Bloom grabbed his hand and began leading him downstairs.

"You'll say we don't need to clean it and sure enough Papyrus will have not bathed and got your face infected with his nasty claws." Bloom scolded gently. The two lovers chuckled as Papyrus let out an indignant huff. 

"I'd say you sound like my mother but she wouldn't have cared." Nighty joked.

"That's not funny-" Bloom started.

"Ssshhh, I know. I'm sorry. I'll let you clean it if it makes you feel better. But, not to be rude, I don't think we're staying here if it's gonna smell this bad the whole time." Nighty said. Bloom snickered at him in reply. "Why are you laughing?" Nighty said as they walked down the staircase. Bloom gestured at the front window with a tilt of his head and a knowing smile. 

"Right. Snowdin. Snowed-in." Nighty groaned as he realized the snow had already piled up to the side of the window and the blizzard showed no sign of stopping. "What happens if we... Need food or something?" Nighty asked.

"You call that one friend you have that seems invincible somehow and they bring you meal rations because they're the weird post-military type that just has that lying around," Bloom replied before instructing Nighty to sit in a kitchen chair. He obeyed and sat down, hunching over slightly to allow Bloom to reach his face.

"I'm very concerned for what counts as meal rations in a place where people eat the bone in their chicken wings." Nighty said.

"No, that's just me, I'm the only one that does that," Bloom replied as he wet a cotton pad with a wound cleanser and gently rubbed it over the scratch.

"... _Why_ " Nighty said almost despairingly.

"Cromchy!" Bloom answered with a smile.

"Cookies, snack bars, chips, and pretzels are also crunchy and are normal things to eat." Nighty suggested.

Bloom leaned into his face with a goofy grin, "Nighty, I don't know if you've noticed, but no one we know is normal. That's just boring." Bloom joked before kissing Midnight on the cheek. Nighty sighed heavily before chuckling. They were interrupted by a series of woody thumps from upstairs as Papyrus continued to try to struggle his way out of the echo flower vines. Bloom sighed.

"His magic looked dull and from the way things look, no one has been here to take care of him in a while. No self-respecting nurse would put up with him. I need to get some food going." Bloom said with irritation before beginning to take inventory of what food he had to work with. 

"And we're going to feed it to him... How?" Nighty asked with a raised eyebrow as another flurry of thuds was heard from upstairs before Papyrus began screaming angrily into the makeshift gag. 

"Well I'd use the drink or drown method but unfortunately skeletons don't need to breathe. I don't think asking nicely is going to work unless I just want him to spit on me. He's too stubborn and full of himself to take either of us seriously if we threaten him. Soooo..." Bloom looked around the kitchen and pantry for a solution before pulling what looked like a torture device out of a drawer. 

"What the hell is that?" Midnight asked nervously.

"MTT brand turkey baster, believe it or not," Bloom said before placing it on the counter and ducking into the pantry to grab a few cans of food. 

"You're going to make him eat... With a turkey baster?" Nighty said skeptically. 

"Skeleton throats are fairly short. But, as soon as food hits the bottom, it's absorbed. So, if he won't eat willingly. Then, he'll just have to deep throat a turkey baster." Bloom said simply.

"You say this... Like you've done it before..." Nighty replied with discomfort. 

"I haven't but I know how to do it." Bloom chirped.

"This has to do with one of those odd jobs you did, doesn't it?" Nighty said with suspicion. 

"Yes... But it was for the government so how shady you think it is depends on your opinion of 'how horrible should you be able to treat someone to get information that could save someone else's life'" Bloom said before peeling open a can of fruit.

"…That depends on the situation." Nighty said after a moment of thought.

"The situations I was normally dealing with were trafficking rings and serial felonies like rape and murder," Bloom explained.

"Okay so... Mostly... I could see that being necessary. But it's still questionable." Nighty agreed. But, Bloom could still feel that he didn't entirely like the idea.

"I was always assigned the ones that dealt with kids. Asgore knew I was a special kind of angry for people who hurt kids. Believe it or not, as bratty as he was, there was a time where Papyrus was a really sweet kid. Well behaved aside from talking back here and there. I had a real hard time understanding how anyone could hurt children. A lot of people don't believe in life after death, but I kind of made it my goal for that kind of people to live their last moments in hell." Bloom recalled. His grip tightened on the knife he was holding as he thought back on some of the faces that had fallen under his hands during the time he was the judge. 

Nighty seemed to be thinking that statement order before nodding in agreement. This time, much more whole-heartedly. "I... Really wish someone had cared enough to do that when I was a kid." Nighty said. Bloom put the knife down for a moment and turned to stroke the side of Nighty's face. 

"I care. I know I wasn't around then but I'm here now." Bloom said tenderly. The things he had done as the judge were far from romantic. This was far from something that anyone would find romantic. But, there was a certain level of understanding between them.

_I would kill for you. I will do everything it takes to protect you._

Another shrill scream broke through the gag upstairs and broke up the tension in the room.

Bloom sighed and went back to slicing up a carrot. "He has absolutely no dignity left and he's still making a fool of himself," Bloom grumbled. Nighty laughed at him.

"He is kind of... Tied to his own bed." Nighty reminded Bloom.

"Oh I know, but I don't remember making this big of a fuss about it last week!" Bloom joked. Nighty wheezed with laughter.

"Bloom, no!" Nighty laughed. Bloom simply chuckled in reply. He picked up the plate of food and began to walk upstairs.

"I'd say we could bet on what he's gonna do but I'm pretty sure he's gonna spit at least one thing in my face even if I tell him what I'm gonna do if he does that," Bloom said with amusement.

"I really don't want him to spit in your face. Can we just... Skip this part?" Nighty asked.

"No, but I'll let you punch him in the balls if he spits in my face," Bloom joked. 

"As tempting as that is, I kind of doubt that he has balls." Nighty laughed anxiously. "But seriously that's... Really gross. I don't want you to just let him do that to you." He said as they stopped outside of Papyrus' door.

"I don't want to use unnecessary force. That would be just as bad as what he did to me." Bloom replied.

"He deserves it at this point. I don't think you deserved it." Nighty said.

"Still don't know why he thought I deserved it. Who knows, maybe I did deserve it. It's not like I had someone to teach me right from wrong!" Bloom said defensively. 

"I'm pretty sure you'd know if you did something bad enough to deserve to be tortured for over a year." Nighty reasoned. 

"... Yeah, okay, but we're not force-feeding him unless we have to," Bloom said stubbornly before opening the bedroom door. Papyrus continued to squirm as he glared sideways at the two lovers walking to his bedside. Nighty fell silent as Bloom climbed onto the side of the bed with the plate. Papyrus stilled for the moment. 

"I can feed this to you and you can eat like a normal monster. Or, you can be an asshole about it and I'll go put it in the blender and force-feed it to you through a turkey baster. Those are your choices." Bloom said. It felt weird to talk to him this way. It was a brutal approach performed in the same way Bloom would have handled any of Papyrus' tantrums when he was younger. You can either behave or you can be put in time-out. Except, now with much more heavy consequence. 

Papyrus continued to glare at Bloom without making a sound. So, he allowed the floral gag to retreat. He continued to glare. Well, that's good enough for now. Bloom presented the plate. A sandwich with slices of carrot and a few spoonfuls of canned fruit. It wasn't fancy, but it was food. 

"What do you want first?" Bloom asked.

"I WANT YOU TO FUCKING DIE!" Papyrus spat back. Not surprising. It wasn't like he hadn't said some variation of that every day for over a year.

"I already did. Remember? That's kind of the whole reason you got your ass kicked, wasn't it?" Bloom reminded him. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Nighty's tentacles flicking and swishing, a clear sign he was already angry. Papyrus squinted at Bloom and huffed slightly. 

"You gonna eat or do I have to-" Bloom started but was immediately cut off by Papyrus. 

"I'D RATHER DIE." Papyrus hissed. Bloom rolled his eyes. Being in control was very quickly draining all the fear he had remaining out of his soul. 

"About that, I'm kinda here to make sure that doesn't happen. And you're not going anywhere or doing anything very fast. And there's a blizzard going outside so none of us are leaving. So do you want the sandwich, do you want carrots, or do you want fruit?" Bloom asked with annoyance. 

"NO," Papyrus answered. Bloom almost laughed. That was not a yes or no question, yet that's exactly how he decided to answer it. 

"Okay then, guess we gotta use the turkey baster," Bloom said simply. Papyrus scoffed as Bloom hopped off the bed with the plate.

"I'M NOT EATING!" Papyrus yelled.

"You don't have that choice. You either eat or you get force-fed. Since you won't eat, you're gonna get force-fed." Bloom stated. He walked out of the room before giving Papyrus a second chance to rethink his choices. 

He could be here for a few days. He could be here for a week. He could be here for longer. He didn't know when this would be over. But, it seems like Papyrus has already made it his goal to make this entire 'mission' Bloom's problem.


	23. What Can We Do Except Laugh About It at This Point?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Abuse mention, sexual abuse mention, stalking mention, suicide mention, unprofessional medical procedure, weed mention
> 
> Let me know if you think it needs more tags!

Bloom hung up the old corded house phone with an irritated sigh. They had been snowed in for a couple of days now. Papyrus's new leg had been made but no one could bring it to the house because of the snow. Bloom's head was aching from the constant stress of dealing with his childish brother. 

"What'd they say?" Nighty asked from the leather recliner in the living room. Bloom looked over his shoulder and sighed again as he walked over to Nighty and sat in his lap. 

"It's ready but no one can get it here because of the snow," Bloom answered. He squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed at the bridge of his nasal aperture. The pressure seemed to slightly relieve his headache. Nighty looked up from the journal he was reading and inspected Bloom for a few moments before one of his tentacles unzipped his pack and pulled out a small bottle of medication. He popped open the bottle and handed Bloom a small white capsule. Bloom took it and popped it in his mouth and washed it down with a swig of the coffee Nighty offered him.

"Thank you," Bloom said gratefully. He closed his eyes and relaxed against Nighty while they waited for the pill to soothe his head. "You're still reading his journals?" Bloom asked. He heard a page turn and Nighty sighed.

"Yeah. There's some entries in here where he planned out how to make the collar. Still haven't figured out what for. There's nothing in here explaining what made him do it. Only thing I found was him being mad for no... Apparent reason that you were flirting with Grillby at the bar?" Nighty said in confusion. Bloom's eyes snapped open.

"What?" Bloom asked.

"It said when you worked at the bar, you flirted with Grillby a lot. And you were handsy with each other. That really pissed him off for some reason." Nighty repeated.

"He hated the bar. Whenever I came home he was always studying. A new book every day. He always said he'd been at the library. He'd go to school, go to training, then go to the library and go home. I never even saw him there!" Bloom said in confusion. 

"There's pictures of you working, though?" Nighty said. Bloom looked at him in disbelief. To prove his point, Nighty flipped back through a few pages and showed Bloom different photos that had been taken of him at the bar. Most of them were taken from outside the bar's windows. Working at Grillby's had been one of the happiest times in Bloom's life. It was more of a skate diner in the time he worked and he always had loads of fun skating around and waiting tables. Grillby paid him well and that was the first time he had actually been financially stable. It wasn't a secret that Bloom and Grillby had a thing for each other, but no one seemed bothered by it. At least, no one except Papyrus, apparently. 

"That's... Really creepy." Bloom said. Nighty nodded in agreement and flipped back to the page he had been reading before. 

"A lot of this is creepy. I thought it was weird enough at first but now on this page, he's talking about having stayed up to listen to you through the wall. And trying to open your door when you were asleep. He was mad about it being locked. He goes on rants in here about you keeping secrets from him." Nighty said. 

"I only kept secrets about things I didn't think he needed to worry about," Bloom said.

"Like how you weren't eating?" Nighty asked.

"So... He knew that too?" Bloom asked. 

"He noticed that the food in the house was lasting way too long for it to have been reasonably feeding two people. He also noticed that the sandwich you made for yourself in the mornings was usually the same one that ended up in his lunch box." Nighty answered. Bloom sighed. Well, he tried to keep Papyrus from thinking about it. 

The two were silent for a few moments while Bloom internally beat himself up before Nighty flipped the page and instantly tensed up. Bloom felt him go rigid and saw the casual wave of his tentacles come to a complete stand-still. Bloom watched Nighty read the page. His expression was unreadable. All Bloom could tell was that Nighty found something that he did not like.

After a few moments, Nighty's eye lights stopped skimming the page and he simply stared at the journal. Bloom waited for him to say something but Nighty remained silent. Bloom gently grabbed the journal and tilted it in Nighty's grasp. Nighty allowed the journal to be moved into Bloom's sight and Bloom's eyes instantly fell on another photo. 

It was a photo of Bloom in the shower, completely naked and unaware of Papyrus peeping through the shower curtain. Soap was lathered on his shoulder as he showered, probably getting ready to go to work. Hearts and flowers had been drawn around him with a pen. The space at the bottom of the photo was labeled, "MINE" in cursive. Bloom didn't have to read the pages to figure out exactly what had happened. It was sickening. 

Bloom had to shove down a strong urge to go upstairs and somehow get back at his brother for what he'd done to him. No amount of pain he could inflict would reverse what had already been done. He felt disgusting. He let go of the journal and Nighty quickly set it to the side. Bloom closed his eyes again and started rubbing his temples. In a way, he didn't want to be touched. In another way, he didn't want Nighty to let go of him. He never processed things like this well. It always felt overwhelming. Like the sound of a pin dropping could snap him at that moment. Nighty seemed to sense it and remained still and quiet. 

Of course, it was at this moment that Papyrus decided to pitch another tantrum. He began screeching from his bed. He probably wanted something, but Bloom couldn't find it in himself to care. He curled in on himself and started crying. He felt Nighty shift in his seat before placing a pair of headphones over Bloom's skull. The sound of Papyrus's screeching was suddenly blocked out. All Bloom could hear now were his own soft cries ringing inside his skull. 

Nighty brought Bloom up to his chest and squeezed him gently. Nighty's chest rose and fell with slow and exaggerated motions. After repeating this a few times, Bloom caught on to what he was trying to do. Bloom took in a deep breath when Nighty's chest rose again and breathed out just as slow when it fell. After a few minutes of deep breathing, his tears slowly trickled to a stop and Nighty wiped them away gently. For a few moments, it's was quiet.

At least, there was until Bloom felt the chair shake slightly as if something large had fallen. Nighty gently stroked Bloom's head for a few moments while Bloom worked up the motivation to go and deal with the problem. He sighed after a few seconds and pulled off the headphones. Papyrus' screaming and complaining had grown louder and Bloom half-heartedly rolled his eyes. At least the pill had dulled his headache enough for him to deal with it without getting sick to his non-existent stomach. 

"You look like you're about to kill him," Nighty noted.

"Oh, believe me, it's tempting," Bloom agreed shakily before hopping out of his lap. He started up the stairs and walked straight into Papyrus's room. He was on the floor again. Bloom didn't have the energy to keep the echo flowers constantly bound around him. So, he took breaks whenever Papyrus seemed to be on good behavior. He crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame before allowing the echo flowers to drag Papyrus back into place. 

Papyrus continued to yell and curse and squirm. But, somehow Bloom just couldn't find it in himself to show him sympathy anymore. He truly never did anything to hurt Papyrus. He'd never done anything that wasn't done out of pure necessity or love. And in return, Papyrus had done... Unspeakable things to him. 

A feeling was bubbling up in Bloom's skull and rib cage. A feeling he hadn't felt so strongly in a long, long time. 

"I hate you," Bloom said. 

Papyrus suddenly went quiet. Bloom hadn't said it loudly. He hadn't said it with any kind of venom. But he said it without a shred of dishonesty. Everyone had been asking him about his feelings on Papyrus since he died. He was never sure until now. Papyrus was a lost cause. He had no redeeming qualities. Bloom had wasted his life caring for someone like him. He wasn't going to waste his afterlife on him too. 

"You don't mean that," Papyrus said. It was the softest Bloom had ever heard him speak. It just made Bloom want to hurt him even more. He laughed bitterly.

"I mean it. I hate you. I hate that I wasted my life raising you. I hate that I died just because you wanted me to. I hate that I didn't just leave you at that fucking orphanage. I'd even go as far as to say that I hate that I didn't just smash the fucking test tube Gaster grew you in-"

"Shut up," Papyrus commanded.

"No. No, I don't think I will. You are my biggest disappointment. The royal guard is better off without you. And now what? You dropped out of school when you took Undyne's position. You think you're so high and mighty but now what are you gonna do? You've only got so much money saved. What are you gonna do when the money runs out? Pitch a tantrum?" Bloom asked. Papyrus seemed taken aback. 

"I-I'll get an office job!" He argued.

"With what diploma?" Bloom laughed. "You think I chose all those minimum wage jobs just for fun? You think I wouldn't have leaped on the chance to sit at a desk and get paid to crunch numbers?" 

"No! You were too lazy!" Papyrus complained. Bloom rolled his head back and laughed harder. Somewhere in his mind, he knew he probably looked insane. But, he couldn't find it in himself to care.

"You're delusional. I spent so long wondering where I went wrong, you know? But it wasn't even my fault! It was you! Trying to sneak into my room at night? Peeping on me in the shower? And then everything else? And what for?" Bloom asked.

Papyrus simply stared at him. 

"You got off on hurting me, didn't you?" Bloom asked.

Papyrus blushed and looked away. Bloom laughed again. 

_Really? Fucking really?_

"You can't even look me in the eye and tell me what you did, can you? You knew it was wrong and you did it anyway." Bloom said bitterly. 

And still, Papyrus didn't try to defend himself. It was strange. He'd always had some way to defend what he'd done in the past. But, what could even be said in his defense in this situation? 

"I just wanted you for myself. I love you." Papyrus said. His voice was trembling. 

"I never fucking wanted to be yours. And I never will." Bloom spat.

"... You love him. Don't you?" Papyrus said mournfully. 

"If you're trying to make me feel bad for you, it's not working. Might as well cut the act, asshole." Bloom replied.

"That's not what I asked!" Papyrus said with a bit more force.

"Me and Nighty are soul bonded. Yeah. I do love him. Only reason he hasn't dusted you is because I asked him not to." Bloom answered. He tilted his head to the side with a slight nod. "Why would it even matter to you?"

"Because I do love you and I'm really sorry and I don't want you to leave me," Papyrus said softly. Bloom chuckled darkly. 

"Oh, you really paid attention in that theater class, didn't you? People who love each other don't hurt each other. And if you were really sorry for hurting me, you would have stopped as soon as you realized you had. But, no! You didn't! Did you? You just kept making it worse and worse for me! And oh yeah, you told me to kill myself! Because there's a lot of things left to love about a monster when they're a pile of dust on the ground!" Bloom ranted. He noticed Nighty had followed him upstairs at some point. He was standing protectively behind Bloom, ready to help him at any moment. 

Or at least, that's why Bloom thought he was there at first.

"I still have all the nightmares I took from you. I kept them. I can give them to him if you want." Nighty said. Bloom had kind of forgotten that was an option. He thought on it for a moment and slowly nodded. Papyrus suddenly seemed very afraid and started fighting against the echo flowers vines again.

"NO! NONONO-" Papyrus shouted. Bloom extended the vines and closed them around Papyrus's mouth, gagging him. 

"That's enough of that, I think," Bloom said coldly. He watched as Nighty walked to Papyrus's bedside and firmly planted his palm against Papyrus's head. Papyrus fought it as hard as he could but soon Nighty's magic was coursing through him. It webbed out from Midnight's hand in glowing vein-like patterns and Papyrus twisted and cried under his touch. It only lasted a few moments before Nighty pulled his hand away and the veins faded.

Bloom no longer carried those nightmares with him. Nighty had been doing it for him. But, the action of giving all the pain to Papyrus somehow still lifted a heavy weight off of Bloom's soul. He couldn't bring himself to kill Papyrus. But, he wanted to see to it that Papyrus lived out the consequences of his actions. The life he had chosen would be miserable. And every night, when he fell asleep, he'd have to live the pain he had caused. As far as Bloom was concerned, Nighty had avenged his death. The hot anger he had felt in the moment softened and turned cold. He could be at peace now. 

Nighty walked back to Bloom and held out his arms. Bloom reached his arms up in response and Nighty picked him up before walking out of the room and pulling the door shut with a tentacle. The house was silent. Bloom sighed and rested his head in the crook of Nighty's neck as he carried Bloom downstairs. A familiar crunching sound echoed in from outside. Nighty squinted out the window as a truck outside started beeping.

"Blizzard must have stopped. Town is probably outside digging everyone out of their houses." Bloom said quietly. Nighty began to pet the top of Bloom's skull before sitting down in the leather chair. 

"I don't get why you won't just kill him." Nighty said.

"'Cuz' that's not what we were sent here to do. And the most ethical torture he can go through is the one he's made for himself. He put a law in place when he was in office that no one with limb replacements could be in the royal guard. So, he's barred himself from going back to where he worked before. Whole underground hates his guts at this point, he was a shit royal guard leader. New guy is doing a pretty good job of reversing the damage. My friends said there's also a lot of people coming forward with evidence of what he did to me. And that'll be enough for a warrant. Then they'll find my old bedroom and the shed. If he can get out of jail, he'll have a hard time finding anyone that'll hire him with his record. If he doesn't, well, brotherhood is extremely important to a lot of inmates. They won't like him there." Bloom said.

"He dug his own grave." Nighty stated.

"Yep," Bloom said with a playful pop of the 'p' at the end. Nighty let out a heavy sigh and nodded.

"What do you wanna do when we get home after all this?" Nighty asked. Bloom pulled his phone out of his pocket and glanced at the date. 

"Birthday is coming up..." Bloom said. That calmed him down a bit more somehow. 

"What day?" Nighty asked.

"January 31st. I'll be 20." Bloom mumbled.

"Sometimes I forget that you're actually really young..." Nighty said.

"And I always forget that you're really old," Bloom replied. They giggled at each other. Yeah, hard to stay tense around Nighty.

"What do you usually like to do on your birthday?" Nighty asked.

"I don't know. I haven't gotten to do anything for it before." Bloom replied. 

"We can go anywhere and do anything. We're dead, we kind of earned it, I think." Nighty said with a chuckle. 

"Mmm... This is gonna sound weird but there's a place I want to take you to in Waterfall." Bloom said softly. 

"You want to go back to where you died?" Nighty asked. He seemed somewhat shocked and Bloom chuckled at it.

"I chose to die there. I wanted to die somewhere I thought it'd feel peaceful. And where I wouldn't feel completely alone." Bloom said.

"It just seems sad to me..." Nighty said. 

"Maybe it kind of is, I just miss the place. I always thought if I'd ever find love then I'd go on a date there. Technically I can still do that." Bloom said before looking up at Nighty's face. Nighty nodded in agreement, although seemingly reluctantly. 

A scraping sound was heard outside and was soon followed by the snow piled by the window falling away and revealing a freshly snow-plowed street. Nighty looked relieved. He'd been itching to leave ever since they arrived, and now the end was in sight. Bloom checked the time on his phone before stuffing it into his pocket.

"You want to get out for a bit and we can drop by somewhere and get food that isn't prepackaged?" Bloom asked. Nighty considered it for a moment before shaking his head.

"No, it's cold." He said. Bloom smiled at him lovingly. Nighty's dislike of the cold was endearing in an odd way.

"I can go out by myself and pick something up and come back. That'll just leave you alone with him for a bit." Bloom offered. Nighty still seemed displeased with the idea and Bloom couldn't help but chuckle a bit at the face he was making. He clearly didn't want to separate from Bloom right now even if he was sick and tired of eating canned food. 

"Or I can just stay here and make mac n' cheese," Bloom giggled. Nighty seemed to be on board with that idea. "M'kay," Bloom said with a smile before relaxing into Nighty's lap. They did need to eat soon, but he just couldn't help but savor the warmth radiating from Nighty's body. Something about it just never failed to leech every bit of tension he had out of his body.

After a few minutes of this, Midnight stirred and patted Bloom's back. "We gotta go cook or we'll both fall asleep like this. You gotta keep yourself fed or you'll get weak again." He reminded Bloom before helping Bloom to his feet and standing up. "Besides, we still haven't figured out what your specific purpose is yet. You have any ideas about that?" Nighty asked. 

"Well... My purpose had to do with how I died, was what I was told. I came here. We figured out what Papyrus did and why. And my automatic response was pretty much... I don't see any redeeming qualities in him so he should live out a shitty life. That seems like a judgment kind of thing." Bloom reasoned. Nighty seemed to think about that for a few moments.

"I guess that plays into the innocent until proven guilty kind of mindset you have... And it's fitting for someone who loves people so blindly." Nighty said.

"Huh?" Bloom looked at him in confusion.

"Up until today, you said you still loved Papyrus. And had a hard time remembering him as anything but the good kid he once was. It takes a lot to really make you hate someone. Only people I've heard you hate on were the ones that did horrible things or just sat back and let horrible things happen." Nighty explained. It did make sense. Bloom let a lot of things slide if there was a good reason for it to happen. He wasn't the kind to stop someone if he saw them shoplifting or something. If it was born out of necessity or love, he turned a blind eye to it. If it wasn't, well. He did his part. 

"Then that's half of why we're here. Now, if we can get the asshole walking again, we can leave." Bloom said. He dumped a box of noodles into a pot and pulled out the cheese packet. Nighty's phone dinged and he glanced at it before typing out and sending a message. 

"Sunny is home. He didn't put up a fight when they put him in his room." Nighty said.

"How did he sound the last time you talked to him?" Bloom asked.

"Like he regrets a lot of things but doesn't know how to apologize." Nighty answered.

"I don't know if it's so much that he needs to give some grand apology as he needs to earn everyone's trust back," Bloom said.

"You're probably right, but for some of us, that's easier said than done." Nighty sighed. Bloom glanced sideways at him as the water in the pot began to boil. "I mean, what's it going to take for you? There were some points where I thought you were just going to kill him..." Nighty trailed off.

"I don't forgive him until you do and I certainly don't trust him until you do and he gives me a good reason to," Bloom said with a flick of his tail. 

"I'm worried that the only good reason we'll ever get to trust him is if one of us gets hurt really badly and the only person left to save us is him. That could either go really well or really bad." Nighty said. Bloom stirred the noodles in the pot anxiously at that statement. 

"This is probably thinking way farther ahead than we need to, but I need you to promise me something," Bloom said.

"What is it?" Nighty asked.

"If I get pregnant somehow, don't tell him. Help me hide it. I know someone here who can help us with that. I'll stay here if I have to. I don't want him to be the one to deal with that." Bloom said anxiously. Nighty stared at him in confusion for a few moments before remembering Bloom's story. He nodded.

"I promise." He said dutifully. The two stood in silence for a few moments before he continued. "You haven't gotten to visit them in a while... We could go." Nighty said softly. Bloom considered it for a moment before nodding. 

"Yeah, I'd like to. I have a couple of stops I need to make before we go home." Bloom said.

"Tori's and?" Nighty questioned.

"The place where I died. My friends said I should go see it for some reason," Bloom answered. Nighty began to speak but was quickly interrupted by someone knocking on the door. "I'm gonna fucking laugh if that's someone delivering the leg. That would be just like some of those MTT services." Bloom said as he took the pot off the stove and walked over to the door. Nighty followed him and held Bloom up to the peephole so he could peer outside. Bloom squinted through and started wheezing. "It is. It really is." Night placed Bloom on the floor and opened the door to a very exhausted-looking cat monster. Everything about the monster screamed _I don't get paid enough for this_.

"Hey, Burger Pants." Bloom greeted before taking the clipboard from him and quickly signing it. As per usual, Burger replied with a sluggish groan before taking the clipboard back and handing Bloom the package. "Hey, wait a sec." Bloom continued. Burger Pants grimaced and Bloom chuckled before placing a heavy coin pouch in Burger's hand. "It's a tip, for you, it's not mail." Bloom smiled. Burger Pants showed a moment of enthusiasm, half-heartedly pumping his clenched fists in the air a few times before slouching again. Bloom had to bite back another laugh. 

"Alright, see ya around, bud," Bloom said. Burger pants tiredly waved goodbye before trudging back to the comically glittery mail truck. Bloom closed the door and turned to a very concerned Nighty. "He was stoned. Man smokes a medically concerning amount of weed just to keep from choking his boss to death. He's the type that's angry at everything but in a way that's so relatable you can't do anything but try not to laugh." Bloom said.

"That's concerning." Nighty commented.

"That's minimum wage and working holidays and overtime baybeee~," Bloom said in an all-too-knowing tone. He unceremoniously dropped the box on the couch before going back to the kitchen and straining the cooked noodles. He dumped the cheese packet in with some water and shredded cheese before placing the pot back on the stove and melting the cheese.

"That's... a lot of cheese." Nighty said.

"When you have depression, you eat your emotions, okay?" Bloom joked.

"That's not funny!" Nighty scolded before laughing as well.

"Then why are you laughing?" Bloom giggled and pointed the wooden spoon at him. 

"I don't knooow!" Nighty laughed.

"Also I want to know why all this man has in the milk department is 2 months expired unsweetened almond milk." Bloom grimaced. 

"Almond milk is good when it's mixed with things..." Nighty said.

"He doesn't like chocolate OR coffee OR cereal OR strawberry milk so what's he mixing it with?" Bloom questioned.

"What kind of fucked up person do you have to be to hate coffee?" Nighty asked.

"Allergic to caffeine, probably. Which he isn't. He just hates coffee." Bloom answered.

"You see, the moment you found that out should have been when you returned him to the orphanage." Nighty joked. Bloom wheezed so hard that he curled in on himself. 

The two regained their composure after laughing for a couple of minutes before dishing out some mac n' cheese. They sat down at the table and began to eat.

"So. Long story short. I say fuck him, we'll just cut open the box and give it to him and he can figure the leg thing out and deal with the kitchen. We can just pack our stuff and leave." Bloom said between bites of food.

"What if the leg doesn't work?" Nighty asked.

"Okay, we'll stay long enough to see if it works then we'll leave." Bloom agreed. 

"And after that, we will go?" Nighty trailed off.

"I don't know. I'm probably gonna cry at Tori's. I _might_ cry in Waterfall depending on what's there." Bloom said. 

"Okay, so do we start with the sad one or the maybe sad one?" Nighty asked.

"Probably the maybe sad one because it's on the way to the actually sad one and I kinda don't want to be seen in public with big sad eyes," Bloom said.

"Why do we reason things like this?" Nighty asked with an awkward chuckle. 

"Because it makes more sense to us this way for some odd reason?" Bloom said unsurely. Nighty rubbed his face and finished off his food along with Bloom.

"Nothing says 'I need therapy' like 'where am I going to cry first?'" Nighty joked. Bloom laughed along with him as they got up from the table. Bloom grabbed a pair of scissors and followed Nighty out into the living room. He inspected the box for a few moments before slicing through a few pieces of tape. Nighty helped him pull the styrofoam lining out of the box before dropping it on the floor carelessly. Bloom pulled the robotic leg out with a huff before turning around to carry it upstairs.

"So... How exactly do these... Attach?" Nighty asked. 

"Papyrus's leg got removed from its socket, so this one just kind of has to be popped into the empty socket. It won't feel good but if it's made right, it will work." Bloom said as Nighty opened Papyrus's bedroom door. The echo flower vines remained tightly wound around Papyrus, holding him perfectly still for what was about to happen. Bloom climbed onto the bed with the robotic leg and inspected where it needed to be placed. "So, I just need you to hold his leg kinda like... This." Bloom said as he positioned Papyrus's femur at a slight angle. Nighty followed Bloom's directions and held it firmly in place.

"And then I just..." Bloom trailed off before lining up the new leg with the underside of Papyrus's knee. Without warning, Bloom forcefully shoved the new leg into the socket. It made a sickening popping sound and Papyrus squirmed and yelped. But, the leg stayed in place and, after a few moments, the ankle of the new leg flexed. Bloom gestured for Nighty to let go of Papyrus's femur and he obeyed. Papyrus quickly drew both of his knees up to his chest and sobbed into the floral gag. Bloom tapped on the robotic leg a few times and watched it flex and squirm again as Papyrus tried to evade any further contact. His knee joint probably didn't feel very good right now, but the new leg was working. 

"Okay, it works. Fuck him, let's go." Bloom said before hopping off the bed. The echo flowers unraveled and let go of Papyrus, who simply rolled onto his side and continued to cry. Nighty watched Bloom leave the room with wide eyes before following close behind. It probably hadn't been the most graceful and professional installation, but it worked. The two packed their bags and walked out the door before Papyrus could find it in himself to get up and cause problems. 

"To Waterfall?" Nighty asked before leaning on Bloom's shoulder.

"To Waterfall!" Bloom confirmed before carefully leading Nighty off the porch.


	24. Remember?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Suicide mention, death mention, miscarriage mention, abuse mention
> 
> Let me know if you think it needs more tags!

"So does it just... Always rain here?" Nighty asked as he followed Bloom across one of Waterfall's many rivers. Bloom hopped from stepping stone to stepping stone while Nighty passed from one to one in single smooth strides. 

"Yep! Water monsters love it here cuz' of that!" Bloom chirped as he hopped to the riverbank. 

"And we've been walking for a while... Just how far back in here did you die?" Nighty asked. 

"I went in the deepest part. Little area behind the garbage dump! No one ever really goes there since it's so far away." Bloom answered. Nighty cringed as Bloom stepped into a deep puddle. His boots were barely tall enough to keep his socks dry as he walked into the garbage dump. 

"People just... Dump everything here?" Nighty asked as they walked through. He scrunched up his face at the smell of rotting food before rubbing his nasal aperture with his sleeve. 

"There's not really a lot of places to dump trash when you live underground. It has to go somewhere." Bloom replied. He was weaving between towering piles of rubbish. It was like a labyrinth of trash bags and discarded furniture. It was a wonder that anyone could find their way through this place. 

But, after a few minutes, Bloom turned down a long tunnel. It was mostly dark aside from a strange glow at the end. Their footsteps echoed back and forth in a way that made it seem like there were far more people than there actually were. 

"It's at the end of this tunnel!" Bloom said. His words echoed back and forth several times. For having chosen this place as a peaceful place to die, it seemed more creepy and disorienting than anything else. 

At least, that's how it seemed until the end of the tunnel came into view.

The small cave was illuminated with glowing crystals and plants. The echoing stopped suddenly when they entered and was replaced with the faint whispering of echo flowers. Bloom led Nighty inside as he gazed around the edges of the cave. The floor was littered with photos of Bloom long before his death, mustard bottles, burnt-out candles, and small trinkets. After a few moments, Bloom chuckled and picked up a bottle of mustard. Nighty hesitated for a moment before picking up a photo frame containing a picture of Bloom sitting at Grillby's with friends. 

"Hard to believe I ever looked that normal..." Bloom said wistfully as he looked at the photo in Nighty's hand. Nighty seemed to notice the grief in Bloom's eyes and stroked the top of Bloom's head. In Nighty's eyes, Bloom was perfect. In Bloom's head, he just felt broken. Seemingly in an attempt to change the subject, Nighty looked around.

"Where...?" He asked. Bloom half-smiled at the question. He grabbed Nighty's hand and led him to the back of the cave before sitting down on a soft patch of echo flowers. He leaned back against the cave wall. It was almost like it had been made for him to lay there. And, that's exactly what he had done. Curled up and waited for the sleep to end all sleep. 

Nighty stared down at Bloom. Something about Bloom's comfort put him off slightly. "Didn't dying... Hurt or something?" Nighty asked with concern. He sat down with Bloom as Bloom picked up another photo. 

"Yeah. But it just kind of mixed with all my other injuries. Didn't really hurt as badly as other things I'd been through." Bloom recalled. "And after a while, it was like everything just went numb." 

"What was it like... Mentally?" Nighty asked. Bloom stared at the photo in his hand. 

"Like... Falling asleep after a long, hard day." Bloom said softly. Bloom laid the photo down in his lap and Nighty glanced at it. It was a picture of Bloom still in stripes. Young and fresh aside from a pair of familiar tired eyes. The young skeleton in the picture was side-hugging a much younger-looking Burger Pants, who seemed at least a fraction less frustrated than his current self. He at least wore what seemed to be a genuine smile. The tips of Nighty's tentacles curled and uncurled. Bloom looked up at him and smiled.

"I know dying isn't usually a good thing. But, I'm better off now, right?" Bloom asked.

"... In some ways and yes and in other ways no." Nighty mumbled as he continued to stare at the photo in Bloom's lap. Bloom's eyes returned to the photo. 

"I was never going to get out any other way," Bloom said quietly. "Wasn't it worth it if I met you?" Nighty considered this for a few moments before his posture relaxed and his eyes closed.

"It just kills me that you didn't have anything left to fight for. The rest of us fought until the end. We all tried to live. You're the first person I've known of in the Void that just. Let it happen. And that worries me." Nighty replied. Bloom thought on it for a moment before nodding in understanding.

They were silent for a while. Bloom didn't know how to respond and Nighty didn't know what else to say. Nighty watched as Bloom's gaze fell on picture after picture. Bloom was surprised that many pictures of him even existed. He didn't remember most of them being taken. Hell, he didn't even remember a lot of the people. A lot of memories had faded away over time and left nothing behind except for an ache. He'd been too busy most of the time to make true friends. There were people he hung out with here and there, usually in some dingy break rooms at shitty jobs. But, the only true friends he ever had were Grillby, Undyne, Tori, and Alphys. And at some points, you could argue they were more than friends. More like an adopted family. Bloom sighed before standing up. A part of him wanted to take all of the old photos with him, but consciously he knew that probably wasn't the best idea. He took a deep breath and forced down the tears that threatened to spill out of his sockets.

"You ready to go?" Bloom asked. Nighty stared at him for a moment before nodding and standing up as well.

The walk back out of Waterfall was silent and left Bloom to become absorbed in the usual ambient sounds of the old caves. The constant drone of rain, crashing waterfalls, and whispering echo flowers. And, most notably, Waterfalls' theme song. Despite everything, it still hadn't changed. Waterfall seemed to be the only place in the underground that truly stayed in a constant state. It never crumbled like the Ruins. It never expanded as the population grew like Snowdin. Waterfall was what it has always been and Bloom couldn't see it ever changing. The history of the place was ancient and seemingly everlasting. It felt as if the world could end and fall away and Waterfall would still somehow remain.

Bloom snapped out of it when Nighty's hand met his shoulder and a familiar weight leaned over him. They were almost outside the cave entrance. It was snowing again. Nighty made a half-audible sound of complaint at that.

"Hey, at least it's not a blizzard! And the wind isn't blowing very hard this time." Bloom said optimistically. Nighty sighed heavily and nodded in response as they walked outside.

"You've been quiet since we left, are you mad at me?" Nighty asked.

"No, I just didn't really know what to say. I'm just not very good with those kinds of conversations." Bloom answered. He glanced up at Nighty as they walked. "I didn't mean to make you nervous if I did..."

"It's fine... Didn't you say Tori gets really scared of people she doesn't know?" Nighty asked.

"Yeah, but she'll probably trust you enough since we know each other so well. If she doesn't, we'll just go home." Bloom replied.

"I can wait outside." Nighty said.

"No, it's too cold. Even I wouldn't sit out there like that!" Bloom said.

"Stars, Cozy was right, we do sound like an old married couple." Nighty muttered under his breath. Bloom wheezed with laughter.

"He's not wrong!" Bloom laughed. Nighty groaned in response.

The door to the ruins slowly came into view and Nighty seemed at least somewhat relieved. Bloom walked up to the towering doors and knocked before taking a few steps back. A few moments later, a very shy Tori peaked out of the ruins with a soft smile.

"Hello, my child," Tori said quietly. A cold breeze blew into the doorway and she opened it wider. "Come inside, both of you. It's cold out there." She said before stepping out of the way. Nighty followed Bloom inside the door before Toriel closed it behind them. "It's been a long time since you've visited. I've missed you." Toriel smiled.

"Missed you too! How's your head been?" Bloom asked.

"Same as always. There's not much that can be done about it. Migraines aren't going to kill me, though." Toriel chuckled. "What brings you by today?"

"I was hoping to see Rosie..." Bloom said softly. Toriel paused for a moment and looked back at Nighty before continuing down the winding path. 

"You know you're always welcome to see her. Have you told Nighty what happened?" Tori asked.

"I did," Bloom replied simply. Another heavy topic that he didn't know how to talk about. Tori was used to this, though. Bloom wasn't known for his social skills. He could hold a conversation but as soon as anything got political or dark he either had way too much or way too little to say.

Tori's house was just as Bloom remembered it. It was probably the only well-maintained structure left in the ruins. A quaint little house surrounded by flowers, bushes, and trees. It was the kind of thing you could imagine being inside a children's book. Tori unlocked the door and led the two lovers inside. Nighty had to duck slightly to fit in the tiny little doorway. 

"Go ahead and go out back, I'll bring you two some tea in a few minutes. Tori said as she walked into the kitchen. She placed a tea kettle on the stove as Bloom gently grabbed Nighty's hand before leading him through the kitchen and through the back door. 

Tori's backyard was expansive and almost every square inch, save for a small looping path, was filled with plants. The air was filled with the sweet scent of flowers and fruits. Bloom led Nighty toward the left and to a small group of rose bushes. He stopped in front of one of the bushes before sitting in front of it. Nighty sat down next to him with a look of confusion. Bloom answered his questioning expression by gently pushing aside one of the thorny twigs. Hidden safely behind the foliage was a small makeshift grave marker. 

Bloom smiled at the small piece of concrete softly. The paint that had once covered it had faded and worn away over the years. But, "Rosie" could still faintly be read. Years had passed since Bloom had lost Rosie, but the sadness he felt when he did never really faded. The air around him fell heavy with the feeling. Nighty seemed to feel the shift in Bloom's soul and he scooted closer to Bloom's side. He wrapped an arm around Bloom, who leaned against Nighty's ribs.

This was one of the few places in the underground where Bloom felt safe to cry. Which was probably a good thing, because that's exactly what happened every time he visited Rosie. This time was no different. Tears silently slipped down Bloom's cheek. He had always felt like what happened was his fault. Like there had to be some way he could have avoided it. But, would it have mattered? Papyrus probably would have turned out the same either way. Bloom would rather not think about what Papyrus would have done to poor little Rosie. 

Tori walked out of the back door a few minutes later with a small tea tray. Bloom looked up at her with a sad smile as she placed it on the ground before sitting on her knees. 

"He still has a bad habit of blaming himself for everything, doesn't he?" Tori asked. Nighty shifted uncomfortably before answering.

"For someone with the best intentions, he does blame himself a lot when bad things happen." Nighty agreed. Bloom chuckled bitterly. Tori poured them both cups of tea. Bloom stirred a sugar cube into his own before taking a sip.

"You haven't looked this healthy in a long time..." Tori said softly before gently petting Bloom's head.

"Blame him. He's always taking care of me." Bloom said, tilting his head in Nighty's direction. 

"You say that like you don't do almost everything for yourself and like you don't take care of me as well." Nighty said. 

"Yeah, and how many times have I had a breakdown or forgotten to eat or something and you had to come sort that out?" Bloom asked.

"You've done the same for me!" Nighty continued. Bloom squinted at him. Tori snickered at them before taking a sip of tea.

"You look like you're going to bite me or something right now." Nighty joked.

"I might, don't fucking tempt me!" Bloom joked half-heartedly. 

"I was wondering how you two could get along so well with such a large age gap, but I think I'm starting to see it!" Toriel laughed. Bloom playfully stuck his tongue out at her. Nighty giggled at him before gently pulling Bloom back against his side. Bloom wiped the drying tears off of his cheeks with his sleeve. Bloom glanced back down at Rosie and relaxed against Night before taking another sip of tea. 

Toriel smiled softly at Bloom as he gazed at the tiny grave marker. She'd been in his shoes before many times. Moving on was always the hardest part. Trying again almost felt wrong when you were still grieving the loss, especially when the child was torn away from you so violently. She looked up at Nighty and noticed him watching Bloom's expression with concern. His tentacles curled and uncurled restlessly. She smiled. If there was anyone or anything that seemed to be helping Bloom move forward right now, it was Nighty. It would be okay.

"So, this Cloak fellow..." Tori began.

"If he still stinks that badly when we get home, I'm chasing him into the shower with a bucket of bleach and a mop," Bloom said all-too-seriously. Nighty snorted and tea gushed out of his nasal aperture.

"Bloom, no!" Nighty wheezed. Bloom cackled mischievously in reply. 

Tori chuckled with amusement before continuing. "He hasn't hurt you, has he?" Toriel asked.

"He tried to. And immediately regretted it," Nighty recalled. "Bloom puts up a good fight for someone so small."

"It certainly has nothing to do with his barely contained anger, I'm sure," Toriel said sarcastically. Nighty looked at her in confusion and she giggled. "He tends to bottle things up. He was the first to tell me he'd rather not step on toes." 

"You don't keep things from me, do you?" Nighty asked Bloom. Bloom squinted at him and took another sip of tea.

"I only keep things to myself that shouldn't be said or done," Bloom replied. 

"Like what?" Nighty asked.

"Like irresponsible things!" Bloom answered.

"Like what?" Nighty asked again. Bloom elbowed him.

"Shush!" Bloom said grumpily. Toriel smirked at the two lovers as they half-heartedly bickered. 

"Keep that up and he might actually bite you!" Toriel warned. 

"Oh, I believe it." Nighty grinned before soothingly petting Bloom's head. Suddenly, Nighty's phone began to ring and he answered it with a smile. But, that smile quickly dropped into an annoyed frown. "I need to get home. Sunny is getting mad that we aren't home." He groaned. Bloom rolled his eyes and sat down his now empty mug. He stood up and helped Tori to her feet before helping her pick up the tray. She quickly took the tray from his hands before shooing them. 

"That boy is trouble! You'd better get home before he does something!" Tori said. Bloom and Nighty quickly thanked her and said their goodbyes before darting back out of the Ruins.

Bloom led Nighty just far enough from the Ruins' doors for him to open a portal before they stepped through. Bloom was surprised for a moment that he couldn't hear any obvious distress before remembering the multiple locks on Sunny's door. He relaxed slightly before following Nighty inside the house. Was this day ever going to wind down?

When they got inside, Bloom could hear Sunny pounding on the door upstairs and sobbing. Everyone inside seemed annoyed by the sound. Bloom glanced up at Nighty, who quickly dropped his pack on the floor and walked upstairs to Sunny's door. Bloom sighed before picking up Nighty's pack and beginning to carry it to his room. He heard Nighty say something before the banging on the door grew louder to the point where it became hard to hear anything but Sunny's fists attacking the door. Fitti tapped on Bloom's shoulder and nodded to his bedroom door at the top of the stairs. Bloom nodded, somewhat understanding her request. She followed him upstairs to his room.

Thankfully, the sound became somewhat muffled after they got inside and closed the door. Not enough for Bloom to sleep tonight if the banging continued, but enough for him to at least make out what Fitti was saying. 

"Sorry for calling you guys home, he's been going for an hour and we didn't know what to do," Fiitti said. 

"It's no problem, I promise! We had finished up what we needed to do!" Bloom said reassuringly. "Did he... Say why he wanted us back so badly?" Bloom said as the banging seemed to be slowing down.

"Nighty has gotten hurt pretty badly on missions before. Sunny didn't know you guys were leaving and he just got really scared. Or at least, that's what he said was wrong." Fitti said. The banging stopped and all that could be heard were Sunny's cries. Bloom sighed with relief before unpacking the clothes and blankets inside the two packs. 

"He did get a little scratch on his face, but I cleaned it and it seems fine. Nothing for anyone to worry about." Bloom said. 

"Are you alright, though? You look like you've been crying..." Fitti asked.

"Oh, just a rough day. No big deal!" Bloom said before gathering up some of the dirty laundry and carrying it to the washing machine in his closet. Fitti followed close behind. 

"Your definition of a rough day varies too much for me to not be worried," Fitti said doubtfully. Bloom sighed and nodded.

"Okay, maybe it was more on the extreme end, but I'm okay. I'm just really tired. I could probably use a nap." Bloom said tiredly.

"Then... Go take a nap? Why are you doing laundry if you're tired?" Fitti asked. Bloom paused and considered that for a moment before dropping one of the shirts to the ground. 

"Wasn't thinking," Bloom said quietly. Fitti stared at him with concern before picking up the shirt. Sunny's cries had quieted down and, now that he was home and felt safe, Bloom was beginning to realize just how tired he really was. 

"I know it bothers you when you have stuff you want to get done. If you want to go sleep now, I'll have the laundry done by the time you wake up." Fitti offered. Bloom smiled and nodded.

"Thanks, Fitti, I'd really appreciate it," Bloom said softly. Fitti's expression was unreadable for a moment before she held out her arms. Bloom grinned and hugged her. She gently squeezed him and patted his back.

"You're like a little brother to me, dude. Take care of yourself, okay?" She said before letting go. Bloom nodded again as he stepped back.

"I will, promise." He said before rubbing his eyes. Fitti patted his head as he passed her.

Bloom hung his coat on a hook before looking around his bedroom. It felt like it had been forever since he'd last been here. He kicked off his boots and padded over to a small tent in the corner of the room. He crawled inside and curled up like a cat before pulling a blanket over himself.

What. A. Fucking. Day.

Bloom heard his bedroom door open and he lazily opened one of his eyes and peered out of the tent.

"Hey sweetheart," Bloom said before yawning. Nighty's searching eye lights fell on him inside the tent and he smiled.

"Nap time?" Nighty asked.

"You say that like you're surprised," Bloom replied with a chuckle.

"Only because the only times I've watched you fall asleep recently, you looked like you were fighting it!" Nighty said. He crouched down to one of the half-empty packs on the ground and pulled out Fluffy Bunny. He carried the stuffed animal to Bloom and tucked it under the blanket. Bloom hugged the stuffed rabbit lovingly and sighed. 

"Sleep is no fun, all the fun happens when you're awake!" Bloom said sarcastically. Nighty laughed and sat down next to the tent before beginning to soothingly stroke Bloom's head. Bloom closed his eyes with a contented hum. 

"We'll have fun when you wake up, then." Nighty murmured. Bloom's tail wagged gently at the idea as he dozed off.


End file.
